The Treasured Philosopher's Stone
by QuestForMyOwnMagic
Summary: I never got to meet my mother, I don't even know if I have a proper family. It doesn't bother me really. I have Charlotte. That changed the day I got my letter though, now I have to find out... Does my father know I exist? *First of the Treasured Series*
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I was only eight when I discovered what I could do. I just woke up one morning and something was different. I didn't understand what though, the girls in the foster house with me woke up and started pointing at me and stuttering about how my eyes _changed._ I only rolled my eyes and got up and ready for the school day. I was washing my hands after using the loo when I finally looked up saw that my eyes had in fact _changed._ They were no longer grey, but now they were the sharp yellow color of a _cats eyes._ Along with the slit and everything!

I gave a shriek of surprise and stumbled back into the tub. When I managed to get back on my feet and slowly pulled myself back up to the mirror, I was surprised to see that my eyes were back to my original grey color. I thought that I just imagined the changing of my eyes so I carried on with brushing my teeth and brushing my plain muddy brown hair and left the bathroom before anyone came knocking.

Later that day, at school, I was attempting read a book. The Brothers Grimm version of Snow White. Disney made everything seem like sunshine and daisies, when in reality… It wasn't. Granted, Cinderella was definitely my favorite princess; she didn't want to get married to the prince. Cinderella just wanted to go to the ball and dance.

"Look at the little Baby!" A nasally voice called from across the school yard.

I rolled my eyes and put my book away before standing up, "yes Gertrude?"

Gertrude was an eleven year old girl who was on the wider side of the scale. I kept hearing that she was going through puberty, but I don't know what that is.

"Now is that anyway to talk to your elders?" Gertrude sneered, twisting a hand through my hair and giving it a yank.

"No, I'm sorry Gertrude." I bowed my head, ignoring the little sting my scalp was giving me.

"You better be." Gertrude put a stubby hand under my chin and forced my grey eyes to look into her brown ones.

I gave a slight not with the hope of this being the only interaction today. Thankfully, it would turn out to be.

"You'll never get a home, Baby." Gertrude jeered, her crooked teeth showing as she gave me an awful smile.

"I know." I whispered, tears blearing in my eyes.

"You'll be stuck in the orphanage for the rest of your life." She continued to taunt me, but this time letting my face go and walking around me in circles.

"Yes Gertrude." I sighed, letting tears well up in my eyes.

"What kind of a name is Cassiopeia anyway?" She tried to push me.

"One that doesn't belong to an old lady." I whispered to myself.

I felt the pain before I heard the sound of skin hitting skin. My cheek was starting to sting when it registered in my head that I was on the ground. Then the kicking started.

"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT TO ME?! I WAS NAMED after my grandmother…" The kicking paused and I quickly got back on my feet and ran.

I pushed through the crowd that had formed and grabbed my bag before taking off into the school, I can't believe that I managed to get away from her. That was a first time for me. Once I was safely in the school I paused and started taking deep breaths to slow down my beating heart and to look at the damage that was done. I gave a quick look around and went into the bathroom nearby and I checked every stall before locking the door.

I looked at my reflection and took a deep breath before pulling my shirt up to see the faint red marks on my torso. I gave another sigh, knowing that I was going to get bruises the next week. I let my shirt fall back down and looked at myself in the mirror and just sighed. I had chunky cheeks due to the baby fat I still had. My hair was a long disgusting muddy brown color and my eyes were my only saving grace. They were as grey as the stormy skies that covered London quite often.

I love the color grey, not to dark or light, it was perfect for me.

One particularly boring afternoon, I managed to snag a bag of powdered sugar. I balanced it perfectly on top of the door I knew Gertrude would be coming through any second. I knew that with both ends closed, there would be a mess everywhere. I hurried down the step stool I had and scurried out the other door without making a noise. I gave the stool back to Robert, another kid in the orphanage. He had let me borrow it, but he didn't know what for.

As I started to calmly walk up the stairs, I heard the door open and the sound of a bag ripping. It was a few seconds before a screech resounded through the hallways. Stifling my laughter, I followed the crowd to the living room where Gertrude was covered from head to foot in powdered sugar. I heard snickers from everyone before Charlotte came down the stairs to see what the fuss was about. She observed the situation, and gave a sigh.

"Don't tell me," She held a hand up to the crowd that had gathered, "It was the 'Not Me Monster' wasn't it?" She asked, looking each of us in the eyes.

As one all of the kids nodded their heads.

"I thought as much, since that's the case everyone will have to be grounded to their bedrooms for the remainder of the week." Charlotte gave me a pointed look.

I looked up at her and smiled innocently.

Over the years, I managed to survive Gertrude the Bully and school for a while. Playing little pranks that not only helped me get my revenge on her, but also justice the rest of the foster kids deserved.

It wasn't until the day before my eleventh birthday that I discovered that I could actually _change my appearance. _I was so angry, Gertrude had managed to push my temper to the limit that I had it trained up too. I was in the bathroom at the orphanage and I was just so mad at what she had said and called me that I was so focused on my breathing that I failed to notice that my _hair changed._ It was no longer the muddy color, but now a _bright cherry red._ I gasped and tugged at my hair when I finally noticed. I tried to find the cause of it, but just couldn't.

Once I was over my initial shock, I took a deep breath and looked in the mirror again and focused on my hair like it was before, the ugly brown color that I grew up knowing. I had to scrunch my eyes to focus and when I opened up my eyes, I smiled so big my cheeks were actually starting to hurt.

I managed to get my hair the proper color it was before!

I gave a quiet squeal of joy and focused on my eyes, remembering that one time they were like a cats. It took a lot of concentration on my part, but I managed to finally see my eyes turn back into a cats, like they did when I was eight. I did a victory dance and I ended up in staying in the bathroom all day just _changing my appearance._

I managed to change everything about me! I tried different shades of different colors for my hair, and I left my eyes alone since I really didn't want to change my favorite part of myself. I even found that I could change parts of my face into an animal; I just couldn't fully transform into an animal.

That was kind of disappointing but I guess I could live with that because _I COULD CHANGE WHAT I LOOKED LIKE AT WILL!_

Over the day, there was a lot of banging on the door but there were more bathrooms in the house than possible so they could managed to find another one to use. I was in the bathroom all day, just playing around with my appearance. By the time dinner call was made, I had to get something to eat. I rushed out of the bathroom and down the stairs with a smile on my face.

"Cassiopeia, are you alright?" Charlotte asked when she saw me.

"I'm fine, I just thought I had an upset stomach but I think I'm fine now." I lied with a slight grimace to make it a little more believable.

"Well if you're up to it, I made some lasagna with a salad." She said it more as a question than as an offer.

"I think I'll just have a glass of milk for now." I smiled, sighing internally.

I had to act as if I was sick, even though I really wanted to stuff my face with the delicious smelling lasagna.

"Little Baby is sick. Does Baby need a doctor?" I felt Gertrude's fingers dig into my shoulder.

I smirked, but quickly wiped it off my face before turning to face her. I turned around with my mouth opened and gave a cough in her face.

"I'm sure I'll be fine in the morning." I said quietly.

"DID YOU SEE WHAT SHE JUST DID?" Gertrude shrieked, stepping back and wiping her face.

"Well, if you weren't in her personal space that wouldn't have happened." Charlotte raised a blonde eyebrow as she scooped up some salad for a little boy.

"I'm sorry, I would've covered my mouth but I didn't have the room." I said as I coughed again, this time into my arm.

"I'm sure it was an accident." Charlotte nodded as Stefanie, a sixteen year old, followed with a pitcher of milk.

"If Gertrude wasn't such a bully, I wouldn't have done it on purpose." I whispered under my breath to the six year old next to me.

Sally gave a tinkle of a giggle and nodded.

Sally was going to get adopted tomorrow, she was just too cute to keep around apparently. I was happy for her, she was one of the few girls who didn't avoid me like I had the plague. Then again, she was only six; but that's okay, she didn't deserve to be in a house like this one. The little ball of bouncing chocolate was lucky to get adopted so soon. It was little saddening that she was leaving on my birthday; but I wasn't too hurt by it.

I wasn't able to eat as much as I would have liked, but I did get to a little bit and use the excuse that I needed something to keep in my stomach. When I was finally in my room I pulled out my little hand mirror and I was up until eleven fifty five playing with my new found ability. When I finally saw the time on my alarm clock, I put the mirror down and smiled in glee that I was special in my way. I was dozing off when I saw the clock click from eleven fifty nine on February thirteenth, to twelve o'clock on February fourteenth. Valentine's Day, also the day of my birthday. I was now officially eleven years old.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When I woke up on my birthday, I was disheartened to see Gertrude over my bed. I was barely able to keep the sigh of contempt to myself, but she must have seen it on my face because she sneered at me.

"Did the Baby really think she would get away from me just because it was birthday?" She asked haughtily.

I didn't know what else to do besides get out of bed and just stand in front of her.

"Is Baby not going to do anything?" Gertrude continued to taunt, beginning to follow me as I walked over to my closet to get the days clothes.

"I thought Baby was going to be more fun." Gertrude quivered her lip at me mockingly.

I took a deep breath and tried to keep my temper in check, I wasn't expecting her to do anything too damaging to my health.

…

Boy, was I wrong.

Being only eleven, you would think I would be traumatized to the point where I should have gone to a madhouse. I was explained that the reason why I don't remember anything is because my brain was suppressing the memory of it. I didn't have a clue to what the doctors were talking about.

I discovered the scars on my stomach when I went to brush my teeth and use the bathroom in the hospital. That's also when I found the scar on the right side of my face. It started at my hairline, and outlined the side of my face before ending at my jaw. Whatever got me, it had managed to avoid taking my eye out, and it was close.

Charlotte had said to ask her about it when I was a bit older. Something about not wanting me to relapse and need another trip to the hospital.

I didn't get to say good-bye to Sally the day she left. I don't know if she was going to a good home, or even if she had good parents. I can only hope.

When I started going back to school to finish up the term, I got stares from the other students due to the bandage and then later revealing my scar. I was uncomfortable to the point that I asked Charlotte if I could start a home schooling program.

During the summer, after finally convincing her to let me do the program, I was helping Charlotte make breakfast. The moving around being good for my physical therapy. To my surprise there was an owl the window with an envelope in its beak. Looking at Charlotte, she nodded at me with a smile to open it. Leaving the eggs, I managed to open the window above the sink and took the envelope from its beak and offered it a piece of toast from the stack of bread next to me. The owl gave a hoot and took the bread and then flew away.

I took a look at the letter and was surprised to see the writing in front.

_Miss C. L. Zwart_

_Second room to the right on the second floor_

_265 White Rose Dr._

"Charlotte, what is this?" I asked, looking at the woman as I ran a finger over the green ink.

"Open it." She encouraged me, scraping the eggs and flipping the pancakes simultaneously.

So I opened it.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore _

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Miss Zwart,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

I moved back to the stove to take over the eggs again. When I was sure they didn't need my immediate attention, I turned back to the letter.

_First-year students will require:_

_1\. __Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_2\. __One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_3\. __One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or something similar)_

_4\. __One winter coat (black, with silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags._

_COURSE BOOKS_

_All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

**_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_**

_By Miranda Goshawk_

**_A History of Magic_**

_By Bathilda Bagshot_

**_Magical Theory_**

_By Adalbert Waffling_

**_A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_**

_By Emeric Switch_

**_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_**

_By Phyllida Spore_

**_Magical Drafts and Potions_**

_By Arsenius Jigger_

**_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_**

_By Newt Scamander_

**_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_**

_By Quentin Trimble_

_OTHER EQUPIMENT_

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

_1 set of glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope_

_1 set brass scales_

_Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad._

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS _

_ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK_

_Yours sincerely,_

_Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus_

_Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions_

I didn't know what to think, I looked up at Charlotte who had something in her eyes.

"Charlotte… What is this?" I asked, holding my letter out to her.

"That is your letter to Hogwarts." She smiled at me, taking the eggs off the stove and placing them into a bowl in the over to keep them warm.

"What is Hogwarts?" I asked.

Charlotte didn't get a chance to explain as kids started to file in to get breakfast. She did wink at me though, so I knew we would be talking later today about it. It took about an hour, but everyone had cleared their spot and Charlie, another sixteen year old boy, was doing the dishes.

"Come Cassie, we have to talk." Charlotte put a hand on my shoulder and led me to the drawing room.

"Charlotte, what is Hogwarts?" I asked again as we sat down across from each other.

"It's a school for special children like you." She answered with a knowing smile.

"Special children?" I didn't realize I put my hand to my cheek until she placed her hand on mine with distraught in her eyes.

"No, no. Not… Not that kind of special." She took a deep breath.

"You mean, like this?" I asked, focusing on my hair and turning it into a faded green color.

"When did..?" She asked, combing her fingers through it as I changed it back to brown.

"I discovered it the day before my birthday. Remember when I came down and said I was sick? I was actually practicing this." I explained.

"The day before your birthday?" Charlotte shook her head, "how you managed to keep this from me, I don't think I will find out." She smiled at me in admiration.

"Now, what is Hogwarts?" I asked, sitting back into the chair and pulling my legs up.

"It's a school," She did a quick look around, "for witches and wizards."

"I'm a witch?" I said excitedly.

"Yes dear, you see I'm a squib. That's what people call us. We don't have magic, but we're born into a magic family." She explained, also sitting back.

"Oh okay, what about people with no knowledge of magic?" I asked.

"They're muggles." She answered.

"Muggles?" I repeated.

"Yes. You see, I am unable to hold a job in the wizardry world since I do not have magic. I decided to take in children with magic, and those without." Charlotte said.

"I have magic, right?" I asked.

"Of course dear, you do. In fact if you're anything like her, I heard your mother was quite the force to reckon with." Her brown eyes glazed over with memories.

"My mother?" I repeated, not understanding what she had to do with it or why she was suddenly brought up.

"Yes, her name was Karen Zwart. If I remember correctly, she was in Gryffindor with her best friend, Lily Evans." Charlotte nodded, her blonde hair bouncing with the nod.

"Why are you just not telling me about my mom?" I shot up, my hair suddenly turning red.

"Cassie, please try not to let your control go now." She stood up and looked down the hall to make sure that no one was there.

"I don't care! I'm a witch, have this ability to change my appearance, and you're just now telling me about my mother?!" My voice start to rise with a hint of a shrill that only a child can have.

"Cassie, I shouldn't have kept that information from you, but I understand! I made a promise not to tell you anything about the wizarding world until you got your letter." Charlotte pleaded with me, turning to face my direction.

"You made a promise." I mocked, knowing I wasn't being fair.

Yes, to Albus Dumbledore." She nodded, trying to calm me down.

"Who's Albus?" I asked, sitting back down and rubbing my head.

"He's the Headmaster at Hogwarts. He didn't want you to know and I didn't question why. You were only two when he brought you to my doorstep. All Albus gave to me was your name, Cassiopeia Lilly Zwart." She sat down in front me once again.

"I see…" I sighed, leaning back into the chair.

"I know that this will be a hard transition for you but we will have to go to Diagon Alley for all you stuff." Charlotte leaned forward and put her elbows on her knees.

I handed her my letter so that she could see what was on the list.

"Not much has changed." She nodded to herself as she handed it back to me.

"When will we go to… Diagon Alley?" I asked, trying the foreign name on my tongue.

"Well, it is July second and you need to write a response… I think we'll go today and you will have to write a letter of acceptance to Minerva." Charlotte stood up and began to walk out of the room.

I jumped up to my feet and hurried after her.

"Go brush your teeth, get your jumper and shoes. We'll leave when you're ready." She said, turning to face me as we made it to the stairs.

I climbed up the stairs as fast as I could to the bathroom to quickly bush my teeth and then to my room for a jumper and shoes donated to the house. When I slipped my shoes on, I had a sudden flash of Gertrude. Looking around, I was surprised to see that she wasn't anywhere to be found. I shrugged and made a mental not to ask about her later. Hurrying down the stairs, I jumped off the last one and landed beside Charlotte who was also ready to go.

"Ready?" She asked, grabbing a key and putting it in her purse.

"Ready." I nodded, handing her my letter so that it would be safe.

"Good. Stefanie!" She called up.

"Yes Ms. Jones?" Stefanie leaned her head over the rail to look down at us from the top of the stairs.

"I'm taking Cassiopeia into London for school supplies, will you and Billy watch over those who are here?" Charlotte looked up to the strawberry blonde.

"Yes ma'am." Stefanie nodded and then standing up straight and walking into her room.

"Let's go honey." Charlotte put a hand on my shoulder and walked out of the house.

It took us over an hour to reach the inner streets of London. I was so excited that I didn't care how long it took, but not excited enough to not notice the stares of horror I was receiving from the people because of my scar. I would look everyone in the eye and those who couldn't hold my stare would be the first to look away. One lady looked at me and she started to tear up. I didn't understand why and I was grateful when Charlotte got up and led me off the train and up the stairs from the station.

"Tell me Cassie, what do you see on this street?" Charlotte asked as we made it to the surface.

"I see a bunch of stores, but I don't see anything saying Diagon Alley." I answered, carefully looking down the street for signs of any kind of magic.

"That's because you're not looking for the right thing." She smiled and led me to a shoddy looking pub.

"Am I old enough to enter a pub?" I asked, stepping closer to her.

"This isn't that kind of a pub." Charlotte winked at me.

I looked up to read the sign and was confused by what I read,

_'The Leaky Cauldron.'_


	3. Chapter 3

The air was smoky in the pub. There was idle chatter about and I couldn't see everything at once as we walked through the pub, so I turned my head this way and that to see everything.

"Hello Charlotte!" A man's voiced called out to her.

"Hello there Tom." Charlotte called back as she led me through the place.

"The usual?" A man with wiry looking gray hair asked from behind the counter.

"Not today, but thank you. My ward here received her letter this morning and so I decided that today may just be the best to gather her supplies before the school rush." Charlotte explained as she pushed me to the back of the pub.

"Ah of course, would like assistance with the door?" Tom asked, pushing a swinging door to walk with us.

"If you would be so kind." Charlotte nodded with a grateful smile as she nudged me into the back a little space behind the Leaky Cauldron.

"And this wouldn't happen to be miss Cassiopeia would it?" Tom looked down at me with a friendly smile.

"I like my friends to call me Cassie, if I had any." I held my hand out to him.

"Well I will gladly be your friend, Cassie." He shook my hand with a glint in his eyes that had me smiling back.

He pulled out a stick and tapped at some of the bricks and waved good bye to us as the bricks began to _move to reveal a doorway._

"Charlotte!" I gasped out in shock.

"This is your first look into magic." Charlotte bent down to whisper into my ear with a laugh as I looked around the Alley with awe.

"It's so... So... _Magical._" I whispered back to her in a conspirator way.

Charlotte stood and threw her head back in laughter as she lead me slowly through the streets, figuring that I would want to look at everything we walked by. I saw so many shops that I couldn't tell you what was for what. I saw what looked to be robes in one window and a broomstick on a stand, owls of various kinds of colors in another shop window and outside. One that caught my eye was a shop that had various herbs and bugs and other stuff that I couldn't place as she lead away.

"This is called Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Your mom had a bank account with them and everything in it belongs to you now." Charlotte explained as we entered a huge white building that took up most of the Alley.

"Everything in it?" I asked, giddy with excitement; before my expression fell.

Did I even have enough for all of my supplies? If I didn't, will I still be able to attend the school? Will I have to go to classes in my regular clothes? What if I get teased for wearing something different? Won't I get expelled already if I didn't have all of my supplies? So many question were going through my head and I didn't want to know what would happen if I couldn't go. I don't think I would be able to handle the heart break of not going.

"Cassiopeia!" Charlotte lightly shook my shoulders.

I gave my head a shake and looked at her in fear, "Will there be enough?" I asked; almost in a whisper.

"I'm sure there will be, and if not, we could always write a letter to Professor McGonagall about needing more funds." Charlotte answered with a kind smile as she handed the small creature a key at the end of the really long hallway.

I didn't give her an answer as I was to busy looking around at everything. The chandeliers had cobwebs on them and the creatures were barely shorter than me and had balding heads with wisps of different colors falling off the tops of their heads. Their hands were long and ended with sharp nails while they're teeth were pointed and yellowing. I felt Charlotte's hand on my shoulder and I gave her my hand as I tried to look at everything that was going on around me.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a HUGE man come in with a boy wearing over sized clothes. The man was thick set and had bushy black hair, I couldn't tell where his beard started and his hair ended; I didn't get to see his eyes but he had a jolly smile. The boy however, he had black hair and was wearing glasses, he had the same look of awe on his face as I'm sure mine did. I tried to turn around and wave hello to him but Charlotte pulled me behind a corner before I could do anything to get his attention.

"Charlotte there was a boy my age! I could have made a friend before the term started." I pouted to her as she helped me into the black cart that had been waiting for us.

"I'm sure he will be around Diagon Alley after this." Charlotte rolled her eyes but gave a chuckled as the creature pulled a lever that sent the cart speeding down the rails.

I watched as we traveled through tunnels of rock, I saw waterfalls and streams of fire over the edge. Looking at the creature behind me I saw that he had a steely look in his black eyes.

"Excuse me sir?" I called out, hoping he would hear me.

He looked taken aback as he looked down at me with confusion, which quickly changed into a cold mask, "Yes?" He asked.

"I have just found out about the wizarding world earlier today and I don't want to be rude, but I'm curious to know as to what kind of magical creature you are and what is the greeting you do when meeting someone new?" I asked in a rush, my cheeks warming up as the creature looked at me with a hard glint in his eyes.

He eyes still had a hard look to them. Several moments passed of us staring at each other and my cheeks were hot and I knew I wasn't getting an answer.

"I'm sorry if I was rude, I didn't mean to offend." I said and went to turn around to face the front again when,

"I am a Goblin, and we just say hello in our language." He answered curtly.

I turned back around with a grin, "What's your name?" I asked cheerily.

Once again he looked taken aback, "My name is Ragnok." He answered.

"My name is Cassiopeia. But you can call me Cassie." I held my right hand out to him.

He didn't know what to say and I'm pretty sure he only shook my hand more for the shock of it than actually wanting too.

"Ms. Zwart," Ragnok began.

"Cassie." I interrupted.

Ragnok gave me a peculiar look, "Cassie," He said it like it was a first time he was ever talked to like... Like an equal. "I must asked, why are you talking to me as if we are equals?"

"Well we both have magic in our blood no?" I asked him.

"Yes we do." He answered hesitantly.

"Well why should I treat you any differently? I mean, I just met you and you haven't done anything towards me to make me want to treat you like you're bad."

Nothing else was said but I'm pretty sure I saw something in his eyes, but I didn't know what it was.

"Vault four hundred and sixty-four." He said, the hard black look on his face again.

I didn't know why I felt so disappointed that our conversation was cut short but I was. Charlotte helped me off the cart and we stood in front a massive door with an intricate design on it. I stood by Charlotte as Ragnok took a small key from her and moved a little door over and turned the key in the lock.

"Stand back please." He stepped back as we did and the door opened wide to reveal piles and piles of gold coins, pieces of silver, and little things of bronze in various stacks.

"I... I didn't know she would have so much." I whispered in awe.

"I didn't think so either." She whispered to me as she pulled out a little case.

I watched as she put more silver pieces than gold or bronze into the case.

"Why so much silver and not the gold coins?" I asked, feeling Ragnok's gaze on me.

"We're only getting essential's today, and what ever is left over you will need on the train to Hogwarts." Charlotte explained as I began to look around the vault.

"Oh ok." I nodded, looking to see that there was a little table at the back with a think piece of parchment and what looked to be a note.

I skipped over to it and looked down to see that it was addressed to me. Picking it up I notice that it was sealed with a curious crest. It was the shape of a shield and the top half had a hand holding a stick while the bottom half had three crows evenly spaced out. I couldn't read what it said below since the print was so small. I figured that since it was in the vault that on paper technically belonged to me I opened it.

_My dearest Treasure,_

_If you are reading this then I fear the worst. I received this parchment from your father just before you were born. _

_I know I should have been the one to give this gift to you but I had things come up._

_I won't be needing this anymore, since I know you will at least eleven when you finally see this I just want you to know that everything I did, I did for you my Treasure._

_If you're anything like your father, you would want to immediately find out what secrets it has. _

_The secret is that **I solemnly swear that I am up to no good**._

_Treasure, don't forget that once your **Mischief **is **Managed**, you must not get caught._

_I love you Cassiopeia, don't ever think I didn't._

_With love,_

_your mum, _

_Karen Mariah Zwart_


	4. Chapter 4

I didn't realize that I was crying until Charlotte put her hand on my shoulder and gave it a little shake.

"Honey, are you alright?" She asked.

I shook my head and held the letter up to her. She took it from me and began to read it, her mouth moving and her eyes speeding from side to side. Once she was done she knelt down and gave me a hug. Ragnok stood by the door awkwardly, not sure what to do.

"She left me a note, did she know she was going to die?" I whispered to her, not trusting my voice to stay steady if it was any louder.

"I'm not sure honey... I think it was a precaution on her part." Charlotte answered, standing up and picking up the parchment.

"I don't understand what the bolded letters mean." I wiped my nose, making sure there wasn't any snot hanging.

"I think you'll figure it out." She handed me the parchment.

I nodded and put it my pocket along with the letter. I didn't want to lose it already.

"I'm ready." I turned to Ragnok who nodded and gestured to us to go through the door so that he could lock up the vault.

Charlotte and I stood by the cart while Ragnok locked up and handed me the key as he got back onto the cart.

"We'll be heading back now." He said and started up the cart.

I didn't say anything on the way back to the main level, I was to focused on the letter and trying to understand the meaning of the bolded words.

"We're here Cassie.' Charlotte shook my shoulder.

I nodded and quietly got out. Once I was on solid ground I turned to Ragnok, "Thank you for taking us to the vault, and for being kind." I stuck my hand out again for him to shake.

Ragnok looked at my hand and then at me before hesitantly taking my hand and shaking it, "thank you." He replied quietly.

I smiled to him and gave him a wave as Charlotte and I began to walk away.

"You were polite to him." She said to me as we walked back into Diagon Alley.

"You raised me to be polite. Why should I be rude just because he looks different?" I asked, curious as to why that was weird.

"Most wizards see themselves as beneath them." Charlotte attempted to explain as we walked towards a store that had a sign that read '_Ollivander's'._

"That's quite rude." I crossed my arms with a huff as she led me inside the store.

I looked around was amazed at the many boxes stacked on the shelves.

"Mr. Ollivander?" Charlotte called out.

We stood there for a little while, me looking at all the boxes and Charlotte looking for the owner of the store. I was really curious about what was in the boxes that I grabbed one and opened. Inside was another stick, I was not impressed but I still grabbed the handle and held it. Nothing happened.

"Give it a wave." An old man's voice exclaimed behind me.

With a jump the stick was waved and something crashed to my right.

"Nope, not that one." A man with friendly wrinkles and white hair grabbed the stick and opened up another box.

"Try the dragon heartstring, pine, nine and three quarters of an inch." He handed me another stick with a smile.

I took it and gave it a confused look, "what am I doing?" I asked, giving it a wave and nothing happened.

"Not that one." He only answered and took it from me and placed another in my hand.

"These are wands Ms. Zwart, the wand chooses the wizard. In your case, the witch. Now give the unicorn, spruce, eight inches, a wave!" The man shoed at me with his hand.

I waved the wand and all of the boxes behind him jumped out of their places.

"Nope not that one," He frowned and walked behind the counter.

"Excuse me sir," I said, placing the wand on the counter. "Who are you?"

"Try the phoenix feather, hornbeam, eight and a half inches. I am Ollivander, wand maker." He turned, handing me another wand.

"I'm-" I waved the wand and nothing happened.

"Ms. Cassiopeia Zwart. Yes I know everyone who comes into my shop." He turned towards another box and pulled out another wand.

"I was just trying to be friendly." I rolled my eyes as I placed the hornbeam onto the counter and held my hand out to Mr. Olivander to place the next one.

"Dragon heartstring, sycamore, nine and one third of an inch." He turned to me with yet another one.

I was about to wave it when he took it from me.

"Nope not that one." He went to the back.

"Do you remember my mothers wand?" I called out to him, curious.

"Karen Zwart had dragon heartstring, yew, ten and a half inches." He answered, bringing with him a few more boxes.

"And my fathers?" I asked, holding my hand out.

Charlotte made a noise behind me while Mr. Ollivander paused before handing me the next wand.

"I don't know, you have your mother's maiden name and she went through great lengths to keep the identity of your father a secret from everything. Including himself I believe. That wand is dragon heartstring, cedar and twelve and a half inches." He nodded to me with a hard look in his eye.

I nodded, trying to hide my disappointment and when I grasped the wand a warmth filled me and red sparks flew out the tip.

"Oh good we finally found this one a home." Mr. Ollivander clapped his hands and with a wave of his own wand everything was back in order.

"Thank you Mr. Ollivander." I nodded, a smile on my face.

"That will be seven galleons." He said with a nod.

Charlotte handed him the money and I went to grab my wand box. As we were leaving a man with long silver hair opened the door and a little clone came in with him.

"Hello." I nodded to them politely.

"Hello." The boy answered, his short silver hair perfectly in place.

"My name is Cassie." I held my hand out for him to shake.

"Draco Malfoy." He shook my hand, his father went to the front counter to talk to Ollivander.

"Are you going to Hogwarts too?" I asked, Charlotte waiting by the door for me.

"Yes, I'm hoping to be Slytherin. You?" He asked me with a polite smile.

"I'm not sure, I just found out this morning about Hogwarts." I shrugged.

"Oh you must be one of _those _people." He sneered, taking a step away from me.

"Cassie, I think it's time to go." Charlotte walked over to me and grabbed my shoulder, leading me away.

"It was nice meeting you!" I called over my shoulder as we walked out of the store.

"Now what else is on your list?" Charlotte asked as soon as the door was closed, pulling out my letter.

"Charlotte what did he mean by _those_ people?" I asked as we walked to a store that said '_Florish and Blotts'._

Charlotte sighed as we walked into a massive book store, "I guess I should explain to you before you do leave for Hogwarts, but it will have to wait until we're back at home." She gave me a pointed look.

"Okay." I nodded, looking with my mouth wide open as the pictures on the book covers _moved_!

Charlotte gave a quiet laugh as I explored the store. When I reached the upper levels I saw a family of red heads come in. There were a whole bunch of boys and one little girl who looked like she was around my age. Immediately the oldest looking one came up the stairs to where I was and the twins of the family took off in the opposite direction.

I turned around to look at the spines of the book and one caught my eye, _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander._ I tried standing on my tip toes to reach it but it was a shelf up from what I could reach. Twitching my mouth to one side I looked around for a footstool to stand on but I couldn't find one around.

"Cassie!" Charlotte called out.

"Up here!" I shouted down, looking over the railway to see her.

"Is there a book by a Newt Scamander up there where you are?" She asked.

"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?" I asked, my hair turning a light sunrise pink from the looks people were giving us.

"That's the one! Would grab it and I can buy it?" She smiled as my hair changed color.

"Just a minute." I answered, my facing heating up as the tall red head boy I was looking at smiled at me.

"Do you need some help?" He asked, walking over to me with a kind smile.

"Please?" I nodded, a smile on my face.

"You need the Fantastic Beast book right?" He grabbed the book and held out for me to see.

"Yes thank you so much!" I took it from him and held my hand, "my name is Cassie by the way."

"Percy Weasley." He shook my hand.

"Thank you for your help Percy." I turned around to go down the stairs.

"Are you going to Hogwarts this year?" He asked, following me.

"I am, I just got my letter this morning." I answered, walking over to Charlotte who was talking with the mom of the red head family.

"Ah! Molly this is Cassie, the one I was telling you about." Charlotte took my book from me to add it to the pile she had collecting in the basket.

"Cassie! Hello my name is Molly Weasley." She held her hand out for me.

"Hello, are you by chance Percy's mom?" I asked, shaking her hand.

"You've already met Percy?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking behind me at her son.

"He helped get the book I couldn't reach. He's a nice boy." I nodded, a smile on my face as I looked up at him.

"Oh that's good, I would hope I raised him right." She winked at me.

I gave a giggle and looked to see her daughter next to her.

"Hello." I waved to her.

"Hi." She waved back.

"My name's Cassie, but you already knew that." I stepped towards her, looking back to my book that I really wanted to read.

"My name's Ginny." She smiled shyly at me.

"That's a pretty name." I complimented.

"Thank you. Cassie's a pretty name too." She nodded.

"Thanks, it's short for Cassiopeia, but that's a mouthful." I explained.

Ginny gave a giggle, "May I ask you a question?" She asked, Mrs. Weasley and Charlotte talking about this and that.

"You just did." I pointed at her.

"I should have seen that one coming." She rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Yes you may." I laughed at her expression.

"How did you get that scar?" She asked, pointing to my face.

Immediately Charlotte put her hand on my shoulder and Mrs. Weasley was scolding her daughter.

"That is not something you ask! That was extremely rude and you need to apologize!" Mrs. Weasly was saying.

"Cassie darling, it's time to go." Charlotte was beginning to tug on my shoulder.

"Just a minute Charlotte!" I put my hand hers and faced Mrs. Weasely who was holding a tearing up Ginny and Percy seemed to have vanished.

"Mrs. Weasley! It's alright, it was just a question. I need to get use to the questions anyway, Hogwarts is sure to have more curious people than Ginny here." I stepped forward and stood by Ginny's side, my hair turning into the sunrise pink from earlier.

"Cassie dear, I am so sorry about-"

"It's fine Mrs. Weasley. I'm not offended or hurt, Ginny was curious and asked a question. I am going to give her an answer, it's not something she should get in trouble over." I explained, my hair turning back to the muddy brown color.

"If... If you so dear." Mrs. Weasley hesitantly stepped back from us.

I turned to Ginny with what I hoped was a friendly smile, "Ginny, I don't know what happened to me that I got this scar. I woke up one morning in a hospital and found myself covered in bandages." I explained to her.

"I-I-I'm sorr-sorry I didn't m-m-m-mean to offend y-y-you." Ginny sniffled.

"You didn't Ginny, in fact I was waiting for someone to ask about it." I explained, throwing my arms around the girl.

I heard Mrs. Weasley and Charlotte behind me muttering to each other, I heard a gasp and quick whispers. I continued to hold Ginny while she regained her composure.

"Mum, what's wrong with Ginny?" I looked up to see two identical twins in front of me, one glaring down at me and the other looking over my head at Mrs. Weasley.

"Don't worry about it Fred, I'll explain later." Mrs. Weasley said from behind me.

"He's not Fred, I am." The one on the right said pointing to his twin on the left then to himself.

"Sorry George." Mrs. Weasley apologized.

Ginny gave a watery giggle and pulled away from me, "thank you Cassie."

"No problem Ginny." I smiled to her and stepped back.

"Who are you and what did you do to make our little sister cry?" The one on the right asked, stepping up to Ginny's side.

"My name is Cassie, Ginny asked me a question about my scar and Mrs. Weasley and Charlotte that it was rude so things got a bit messy." I explained, folding my arms and glaring at the two boys.

"How did you get that scar?" The one on the left stepped up on Ginny's side.

"I woke up with it one morning." I rolled my eyes.

"Fred, George! Be nice to the girl." Mrs. Weasley scolded the boys.

"Mum! We were just curious." The one on the left rolled his eyes while giving me a wink.

"Cassie, it's time to go." Charlotte said softly from behind me.

"Just one more moment." I begged over my shoulder before turning back to Ginny.

"Will you be attending Hogwarts this year?" I quickly asked.

"No, not until next year. Ron will be there though." Ginny rubbed her nose, her eyes red.

"Oh, that's disappointing." I pouted, earning a giggle from her and chuckles from the twins.

"Well it was nice meeting you." I hugged her again and nodded to the boys before turning to Mrs. Weasley to also give her a hug.

"It was nice meeting you too dear." Mrs. Weasley said, bending down to hug me.

"Okay, Charlotte I'm ready." I grabbed the basket and skipped to the counter where the worker was.

"Good-bye." I heard Charlotte say before coming after me.


	5. Chapter 5

Once we left the shop without further incidents, Charlotte and I walked to Madame Malkin's. A shop that sells robes, Charlotte had explained to me. When I walked in I was placed on a stool and had a robe fastened on me. A woman was busy with another costumer, a girl with bushy hair. There didn't seem to be other workers but the tape measure and pins were charmed to begin fitting me the robes. I was to busy gawking at the magic to realize that the girl was talking to me.

"I'm sorry, I missed what you said." I turned to her.

"I'm Hermione Granger, what's your name?" She repeated herself, the same awed look in her eyes that I'm sure matched mine.

"I'm Cassiopeia Zwart, but you can call me Cassie." I waved to her.

"Hello, Cassie." She smiled, relieved that I didn't ignore her.

"Are you also going to Hogwarts?" I asked, raising my arms for the tape measure and pin to fit the robe around my chest and torso.

"I am, I'm hoping to be in Gryffindor, but Ravenclaw doesn't seem to bad." She answered, stepping down from her stool.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about?" I told her as the lady came to check on my measurements and write them down on a piece of paper.

"Oh you don't know? Hogwarts has four houses. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin." She explained, standing next to me as the lady finished up my robes.

"Is there a special meaning for these houses?" I asked, stepping off the stool I was on and walking with Hermione to the counter where Charlotte and two other people were.

"Yes, Gryffindor is-"

"Hermione, time to go sweetheart." The woman called out softly, holding her hand out to Hermione while the man picked up the parcel on the counter.

"Sorry I have to go." She said, hurrying over to her mother.

"It's fine, it was nice meeting you!" I waved to her as she left.

She waved back before leaving the store.

"You seem to be making a lot of friends already." Charlotte noted, paying for my robes.

"I'm not sure if we'll still be friends though." I frowned, taking the parcel from her since she had my books.

"I'm sure you will be." Charlotte smiled, leading me out the door and down the Alley.

"Now, where to next?" I asked, stepping to the side so that I wouldn't get lost in the crowd.

"Well we bought your robes right?" She asked, placing my books on the ground and pulling out my list.

"Check." I answered, holding out my parcel for her to see.

"Books?"

"Check."

"Wand?"

"Check."

"Cauldron?"

"Not checked." I answered.

"How about you go into Eeylops Owl Emporium and Magical Menagerie and choose either an owl, cat, or toad. I'll go get the rest of your stuff since it should all be in one place." Charlotte picked up the bag of books.

"Sure, how long do you think you'll be?" I asked, trading the books with the parcel of robes since I wasn't going very far.

"Not long, you'll have to stay there until I come since I have to pay for it." She accepted the trade we made.

"I can do that." I nodded, giving her quick hug.

"Okay, see you in ten minutes." She hurried down the Alley towards a shop that had a cauldron sign hanging off the side.

I walked the other way, towards the shop that had the owls outside. I walked up to a beautiful owl who's feathers made the shape of a cat's head. There were quite a few of these owls outside, along with some that had peculiar feathers making their eyes look wider than they actually have. I finally made my way into the shop to discover that it was dark inside so I took some time for my eyes to adjust and saw that there were rats, cats, mice, toads, and strange creatures in various cages.

Looking around I couldn't see anything that I wanted and looking at a rat a flash of fur ran in front of me with a screech.

"Crookshanks no!" A voice shouted behind me.

I managed to catch the cat as it went to run by me again, but that resulted in quite a few scratches on my hands.

"Here you go." I handed the cat to the woman who was behind me, gasping for breath.

"I am so sorry about that." She apologized, taking the orange cat from me.

"It's fine, some creatures just to be let out and run every once and awhile." I shrugged, turning back to look at the rats before walking back over to the cats.

"Yeah, he just needs a home to be in. Are you perhaps interested in him?" She came up to me, hope in her voice.

"Sorry, I don't think he's the one for me." I shrugged, guilt in my voice.

"Oh, it's fine." She sighed, her shoulders sinking a little.

Before I could change my mind I heard the door open.

"Just a minute." She tapped my shoulder and went to help the giant of a man who came in.

"Of course." I nodded, looking at the various cats in their cages.

Sighing, I turned around and saw a beautiful white owl preening her feathers. Skipping happily I went over to her and poked my finger through her cage.

"Hello!" I chirped at her.

She gave me a glare and turned around so her back was to me.

"That's not very nice when someone is interested to give you a home." I scolded, folding my arms over my chest.

She ruffled her feathers but ignored me.

"Well fine, hopefully you'll find someone who you like." I shrugged, turning around.

"Tha's a tempermental bird, tha' one." A deep voice said next to me.

I jumped with a squeak and looked up to see the giant looking at the snowy bird.

"Yeah, she is. She doesn't seem interested in me, so maybe someone else should give her a home." I shrugged up to him.

"Yeh don' wan' her?" He asked, looking down at me with surprise in his eyes.

"I do, but if she's not going to be happy with me then why should I make her unhappy? It'll just make us both unhappy." I answered, looking at the owl preen her feathers.

"Yeh seem to understand these creatures better than mos' people 'round here." He noted, scratching his beard.

I shrugged, "maybe you can give her to the boy you're escorting?" I looked at him with hope.

" 'Ow do yeh know I'm escortin' a boy?" He asked, perplexed.

"I saw you two at Gringotts, I went to my vault just as you two were walking in. I don't think you saw me." I explained.

"Oh..." He said, looking from me to the bird.

"So are you going to take her?" I asked, poking him in the arm.

I don' see why no'?" He said, grabbing the handle of the cage.

"Good!" I exclaimed, stepping up to her cage, "I know you didn't want me, but hopefully you'll love the boy you're going too." I stuck my finger back into the cage.

She looked at it apprehensively, before nipping at my finger lightly. With a smile, I pulled my finger out and waved to the giant before skipping off to the cats once again. I gave the cats a once over before hearing a meow, turning to face it I saw the most beautiful cat. She had white body, but had orange ears and an orange striped tail. She was fully grown but didn't look older than a year or so, her eyes were a beautiful blue color and she was looking right at me.

"Hello beautiful." I whispered, poking my finger in the cage for her to sniff.

She gave it a sniff and started purring while rubbing her face on my finger. With a smile I picked up her cage and carried her over to the counter. Looking around I saw that the man had gone and it was just me for now.

"Excuse me?" I called out, putting the cat on the counter.

"Yes?" The woman from earlier came from the door behind the counter.

"I don't have my money but I would like to purchase her." I said scooting the cage up to the woman.

"Oh the Turkish Van!" She gushed, opening the cage to let the cat out.

She stepped out of the cage and came over to rub her face against mine, "how much is she?" I asked.

"Well for the cat, she'll be fifteen galleons, but if you want a collar, tag, leash, a bag of cat food, litter, and litter box with a scooper it'll come up to be about... twenty-five galleons and sixty eight knuts." She answered, counting the items on her fingers.

I inhaled through my teeth at the price, worried that it might be to much. The door opened and when I turned to look I was relieved to see that it was Charlotte with a cauldron in her hand with my parcel in it.

"Charlotte!" I called to her softly, not wanting to disturb the animals.

"Hello Cassie, oh I see you've already picked your animal." She came up to me after standing and letting her eyes adjust.

"Actually, she picked me." I said with a grin, the cat walking over to Charlotte to get a scratch on her head.

"How much is she is?" Charlotte asked, petting the Turkish Van.

"She is fifteen galleons, but if you want all of the extra stuff it'll be twenty five galleons and sixty eight knuts." The lady repeated.

"Ouch... Okay, what do you think she'll need?" Charlotte turned to me.

"Well, I want the collar and I would like the tag, but I don't think I'll need a leash. I'm not sure about the litter and litter box though. Definitely want the cat food though." I looked up at her as the cat climbed onto my shoulder and down into my arms rubbing her face against my cheek while purring.

"Okay, let's buy the litter, box, and food for now and we'll see about it when you leave for Hogwarts." Charlotte said.

"That works for me." I answered, scratching the cat under her chin, earning a louder purr.

"How much would that be?" Charlotte turned the mousy hair woman behind the counter.

"Twenty five galleons." The woman answered.

Charlotte nodded and paid the money, the woman took it and put it in the cashier.

"Now what do you want the tag to say?" She asked, looking at me as she pulled out a heart shaped tag.

Looking down at the cat, she looked up at me and slowly blinked at me with a grin on her face.

"Ariel." I answered, looking up at the woman who smiled knowingly at me.

"Good answer." She stated, pulling out her wand and started engraving on the tag.

"Why don't you pick her collar?" Charlotte pointed over to the section where collars were hanging from.

I nodded, walking Ariel over and grabbing collars and letting sniff them. I went through fifteen collars that she stuck her nose up at.

"You have to wear one Ariel, at least I'm letting you have the option!" I exclaimed, giving her a raspberry.

Ariel seemed to roll her eyes at me before giving a huff and looking at the collars. I held her up for her to look at the ones above us. Using her claws she grabbed a dark blue adjustable collar, it had a bow on it with a little white gem as the center piece on the bow.

"Was that so hard?" I asked, pulling the collar off the rack and walked back to the counter and handed the woman it.

Ariel gave a little annoyed meow but rubbed her head against my arm anyway.

"Yeah that's what I thought." I giggled, watching as the nice woman attached the tag to the collar and handed it to me.

"Thank you for shopping at Eeylops Owl Emporium and Magical Menagerie, come again!" She waved as we walked out of the store.

I put the collar on Ariel with reluctance on her part. She really didn't want that collar on her. I only shrugged as I managed to juggle the books and parcel while getting Ariel into her cage.

Charlotte and I managed to get back to the Leaky Cauldron without to much problem and once we finally sat down Tom had brought Charlotte what looked like liquid butter with foam on top.

"Would the young lady like something to drink?" He asked, looking taken aback when he saw my face.

"Water please." I said, a smile on my face and my hair turning, once again, into sunrise pink.

"Of course!" He stated, a little to loud; surprise evident in his face.

I shook my head to make it change back to the brown color, I didn't want to forget to change it back in case I went home and cause mayhem with the other kids.

"Charlotte, when we got out of Mr. Ollivander's and Draco said I was one 'those' people, what did he mean?" I did the quote thing with my fingers when I turned to Charlotte.

She sighed and put down her drink.

"I guess now would be as good of a time as ever. What he meant is that you are muggleborn." She laced her fingers together looking at me.

"What's wrong with being a muggleborn?" I asked, confused about the situation.

"Some people don't like that those with muggle parents are born with magic, they feel like it was stolen or misplaced." She rolled her eyes.

"What about squibs? Are they jealous they don't have magic?" I asked, curious to know her opinion.

"Some squibs... Are jealous that they don't have the magic that they feel like they deserve, especially since they are born into magical families." She explained, something flashing through her eyes.

"You aren't, are you?" I asked, not wanting her to hate me later in my life.

"No, no, I'm not jealous. I am frustrated that I don't have magic but I'm not jealous. Remember, things happen for reason. I believe that I turned out to be a squib to take care of children like you." She took my hand and gave me a smile.

"Okay, I didn't want you to hate me later on." I nodded, fear in my voice.

"I could never hate you." She smiled wider and took a sip of drink.

"Here is the water for the lady." Tom put a glass of water in front of me.

"Thank you Tom." I smiled at him.

"You're welcome, would you like something to eat?" He looked at Charlotte and then me.

"May I have a sandwich?" I asked, looking at Charlotte.

"Sure, I'll have one as well Tom." Charlotte nodded to the man with a little smile.

"Two sandwiches coming up." He walked away to some other table before heading to the back.

"What is the term for a full blooded witch, or wizard?" I asked Charlotte.

"They call them pure bloods, and half bloods are those with one magic parent and one muggle parent." Charlotte explained.

"That's kind of stupid." I crossed my arms, a sneer on my face.

"Yeah, I know." Charlotte agreed, mirroring my posture but not my expression.

We sat there in silence, just enjoying each others company. I was sipping my water when the back door opened and there wasn't loud stomping, but it was noticeable. I turned around to see the giant from the owl shop and the boy from Gringott's. Excusing myself I got up real quick and rushed over to stand in front of them.

"Hello! Remember me?" I asked the giant, giving him a startle.

"Why yes I do! Yer the one who helped me pick 'Arry's bird here." He pointed to the snowy owl who looked quite content with the boy holding her cage.

"My name's Cassie, I'm glad she's happy to be with you." I held my hand out to the boy.

"Harry, I'm sorry but what happened?" He asked, looking confused, placing his hand in mine and shaking it.

"I wanted to buy your owl there, but she didn't want me to take her home. Your friend here came by and we got talking about her and I suggested he should take her for you." I explained, pulling back with a smile.

"Oh, well thank you." He nodded, shuffling from foot to foot.

"You're welcome. I hope to see you at Hogwarts." I smiled at him, my hair changing into a yellow color.

I earned a gasp from him and his friend.

"How did you do that!?" Harry asked, grabbing some of my hair.

"I've been able to do since the day before my eleventh birthday." I shrugged, focusing on my hair and changing it back to brown.

"That's amazing!" He exclaimed, awe in his voice and expression.

"Thank you. I hate to be rude but I never got your name." I turned the man next to Harry.

"Oh where are my manners! I'm Rubeus Hagrid, keeping of keys and grounds at Hogwarts." He held his hand out for mine.

"Cassiopeia Zwart, but you can call me Cassie." I put my hand in his huge one.

"Nice to meet yeh Cassie, I hope yeh don't mind but we need ter ge' goin'." Hagrid said.

"Oh no I'm sorry I didn't mean to keep you from other errands!" I stepped to the side.

"It was nice meeting you Cassie, I'll see you at Hogwarts." Harry waved to me as he and Hagrid left.

I waved back as I walked back to where Charlotte and I were sitting.

"Does someone have a crush on a certain black hair boy?" Charlotte winked at me.

"I'm just trying to be friendly with potential friends." I rolled my eyes at her.

"Sure sure." She waved her hand at me.


	6. Chapter 6

We finished up at the Leaky Cauldron and finally made it back to house. We got many strange looks for our strange packaging. I couldn't wait to get back and read my book by Newt Scamander. Charlotte sensed my excitement, she kept smiling at me. Finally we made back to the house but it was about time for us to be making dinner, so I got all of my stuff upstairs and let Ariel out, I set up the room for her. Food and water in separate bowls and her litter box in a corner of the room away from her food and water. Once I made sure she was settled and safe I skipped down the stairs to help set the table.

"Set up eight places Cassie." Stefanie handed me eight plates to put around the table.

"Okay." I nodded, pausing when I realized that I hadn't set a place for someone.

"Charlotte, where's Gertrude?" I asked, looking at the plates.

I heard a crash and looked over to see Charlotte fumbling with the frying pan and Stefanie had her mouth wide open and was staring at me with a pale face.

"Gertrude... Gertrude had to get moved to another orphanage." Charlotte said, flipping the chicken in the frying pan.

"Is she alright?" I asked, getting cups for everyone.

Stefanie gave a little gasp and when I looked at her she had tears in her eyes.

"Stefanie, are you okay?" I asked, putting the cups on the table and walking over to the older girl.

"I-I'm fine." She sniffled, wiping her nose with a tissue and stirring the mashed potatoes.

"Okay..." I looked at her and got the silverware and napkins for dinner.

* * *

I was never told what happened to Gertrude that year, but every time I asked about her all of the older kids would freeze up and Stefanie would get teary eyed and have to leave the room. I decided to stop asking about her and I got thinking about the letter my mom left me and the parchment she had left. I was sitting in bed with Ariel in my lap, I was petting her while looking at the letter and the parchment. The parchment was fully extended and completely blank. Nothing I thought of seemed to make sense.

Sighing I put the parchment and letter away in my trunk. Charlotte was letting me use hers since she didn't have any use of it anymore. Everything was in order but I still had one more week before having to be at King's Cross Station for the train ride to Hogwarts. Falling backwards on my bed, Ariel stretched out on my stomach and I continued to scratch her head. Earning myself her purr. After five minutes of this I fell asleep.

_Faceless people were pointing at me and I heard laughing. Running down the dark hallway I couldn't get away, the laughter kept following me. Tears were running down my face and I had my hand to my face._

_"Baby doesn't deserve to live!" A nasally voice echoed through the hallway._

_I was crying, I couldn't seem to stop..._

_"Baby should just DIE!"_

"NO!" I screeched, sitting up in bed.

Scaring Ariel, she leapt up from where she was laying, someone came running down the hall and opened my door.

"Cassie, are you alright?!" Stefanie turned on my light.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." I rubbed my eyes, scratching Ariel's cheek to calm her down.

"What was it?" Stefanie asked, sitting on my bed.

"Just a bad dream, I don't remember what it was." I shrugged, looking at her with confusion.

"Are you sure? You don't want me to make you some tea?" She asked, putting her hand on my shoulder.

"Thank you, but no." I yawned.

"Okay... If you need anything don't be afraid to ask." She patted my shoulder.

"I won't." I nodded as she turned off the night.

I got back down on my covers and Ariel nosed her way under the covers, turned around and snuggled into my chest while poking her head out from beneath the covers. I gave her a giggle and a scratch before falling back asleep.

When I woke up in the morning Ariel had moved to my pillow and was taking up all of it while I was hanging off the bed. Letting loose a chuckle I got up and got dressed for the day. When I went downstairs I found that it was just me. I smirked and found another packaged of powdered sugar. Putting it on the top of the door I got about to getting myself a bowl of cereal.

After waiting for fifteen minutes, the door opened and the sugar fell on my victim. Stefanie gave a quiet shriek when the sugar went EVERYWHERE! I cackled at her expression and pointed. Stefanie glared at me, but started to giggle too.

"I'll clean it up I promise." I said, getting the broom out of the pantry.

"I know you will." Stefani turned around and went back the way she came.

I swept up the sugar onto a dustpan and poured that into the garbage and sat back down at the table.

_For a week before school, that went on. Me pranking any of the kids and Stefanie kept asking about me. I don't know why she suddenly has an interest for me. Kids came and went but of course no parents for me. After a boring week that seemed to just take forever the day finally came... THE DAY FOR HOGWARTS!_


	7. Chapter 7

I woke up at seven in the morning. I had a hard time sleeping and Ariel seemed to sense my anxiety and excitement because she was restless too. When I bounded down the stairs with my trunk and Ariel's cage, I was surprised to see another trunk with a barn owl in it's own cage next to it. Placing my belongings next to it, I walked into the kitchen with Ariel following me. Let me tell you, I was shocked to see Stefanie up and eating too.

"Stefanie, what are you doing up so early?" I asked, getting a bowl of cereal down for myself.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to Hogwarts too." She whispered to me.

I gave a gasp and almost dropped my bowl. I turned to look at her with surprise.

"You're a witch too!?" I whispered back, sitting across from her.

"Yes. I'll be going for my last year. I'll be able to get a job and move out." She smiled at me.

"That's the school you've been going to, the boarding school." I pointed at her accusingly, spooning a spoonful of cereal into my mouth.

"Yes, and now you'll be going too." She nodded to me.

We ate together, her telling me stories about her friends, but she didn't tell me about the houses even though I asked. She didn't even tell me how we got sorted into the different houses. Stefanie just winked and shook her head at me.

Finally the time came for us to leave around nine o'clock. Stefanie grabbed her stuff and I mine. Charlotte came down and gave us hugs good-bye. Stefanie took out her wand (unicorn hair, hornbeam, nine and three quarters, she told me.) Stuck it out in the air and with a bang, a purple bus was in front of us. I gave a gasp as an ugly man with boils over his face started muttering something about the Knight Bus being at their service.

Stefanie helped me get my stuff on the bus, she told the man that we needed to get to King's Cross Station. There was a little head next to the driver and it kept repeating itself. With a blast I fell onto a bed while Ariel hissed at the sudden rush of air. Stefanie's owl didn't seem to like it either, he fluffed his feathers when the bus kept hitting the gas and breaks.

We couldn't get to King's Cross fast enough. When we made it, I couldn't get off the bus fast enough. Stefanie was laughing at me when I was out of it and on the sidewalk with Ariel growling at the bus.

"Everything alright there Cassie?" She asked with a giggle, walking over to where the trolleys where.

"Just peachy." I nodded, walking with her.

She helped me settle my trunk and animal cage on the trolley and lead me into the station. I followed her, and she kept looking over her shoulder at me making sure I wasn't getting left behind.

"This way." Stefanie turned around, and pointed to a column of brick.

"We're going to hit a column?" I asked skeptically.

"No silly, we're going through the column. Remember? Magic." Stefanie winked at me before running towards the column.

I scrunched up my eyes, waiting for the crash. But it never came. I peeked one eye and saw that she had disappeared! Looking around the column I couldn't find Stefanie, not trusting the column I sat on my trunk waiting for another magic family to come by. I didn't have long to wait thank goodness.

"-packed with muggles, of course-" Turning around I saw a familiar family with red hair.

"MRS. WEASLEY!" I shouted, jumping and running over to her.

"Cassie! What a wonderful surprise!" Mrs. Weasley gave me a hug.

When I pulled away Ginny gave me one as well. I waved to the boys and they waved back, Percy however just nodded at me politely.

"I'm not sure I understand Mrs. Weasley, my friend who was showing me the way said we had to go that way. But I didn't see her go through, I was to scared of her crashing into it." I explained when Ginny pulled away.

"Oi what's wrong with your face?" I heard an unfamiliar voice ask.

"Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley scolded, turning to the youngest looking boy.

"I woke up with it one morning." I answered, shaking my head at him.

"If you would like, I could show you how to get to Platform nine and three quarters." Percy offered, tapping my shoulder.

"Oh would you be so kind?" I asked, a smile on my face.

"No problem, just watch okay? Don't close your eyes this time." Percy said to me before taking a running start to the column.

I kept my eyes wide open and when I saw him go _through _the column I put my hands on my mouth to keep from squeaking.

"Think you can do it now dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked me.

"I think so... But I can watch that again?" I asked, looking at the twins with a wide grin.

"I don't mind do you Fred?" One asked the other.

"I don't mind." The other answered.

"Wait! Could you tell me which one is which?" I asked.

"I'm George." The first said.

"I'm Fred." Said the one who ran through the column.

"Okay, I'm never going to remember that." I told Mrs. Weasley who just laughed, as George went through the column.

"Excuse me!" A voice said from behind us.

The rest of the Weasley's and I turned around to see a boy come up to us.

"Hi Harry!" I waved to him.

"Oh hi Cassie!" He waved back with a shy smile.

"Excuse me." He said to Mrs. Wealsey.

"First time at Hogwarts? It's Ron and Cassie first time too." Mrs. Weasley pointed to her youngest son and then me.

"Yes, the thing is- The thing is I don't know how to-" He pointed to the column.

"How to get onto the platform?" I offered.

Harry nodded.

"Not to worry dear, I'm sure Cassie can show you how." Mrs. Weasley smiled to me encouragingly.

"Sure..." I nodded slowly and faced the column with hesitancy.

"Best to do it at a run if you're nervous." Mrs. Weasley said, giving me a little nudge.

I nodded, to scared to speak. Slowly I started to run towards the column and I'm sure my hair turned from brown to green as soon as I went through I was so nervous! When I felt a rush of air I opened my eyes and gasped, there really was a platform nine and three quarters. Stepping away from the doorway I waited for the next person to come through. Thankfully it was Harry and when he paused to gawk at the scene I pulled his trolley away from the door.

"Don't want to get run over now do you?" I asked when he looked at me.

"Guess not." He answered, walking down the platform with me.

"This is amazing." I whispered to him.

"Yeah it is." He agreed, together we found an empty compartment and he helped get my trunk in the carriage.

Ariel and his owl were already in the compartment and we were struggling with his trunk.

"Want a hand?" A voice asked above us.

Looking up I saw George, or Fred. I couldn't tell the two apart.

"Yes please." Harry and I answered.

"Oy Fred! C'mere and help." George called to his brother.

Finally Harry's trunk was in the compartment and I sat down with a huff.

"Thank you Fred, thank you George." I nodded to the two red heads.

"No problem." George waved to me about to walk out.

"What's that?" Fred asked, pointing Harry's forehead.

"Blimey, are you-?" George turned around to stand next to his twin.

"He _is,_" Fred nodded vigorously, "aren't you?"

"What?" Harry and I both asked, giving each other confused looks.

_"Harry Potter,"_ the twin chorused.

"Oh him," Harry nodded, "I mean, yes I am."

I looked between the boy, confused. The twins kept gawking at him and he started to turn red. As I opened my mouth to ask what was going on but a Mrs. Weasley's voice came through the open train door,

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming mom." The twins answered, with one last look at Harry they left the compartment.

Harry sat down across from me, looking out the window at the Weasley family. I turned my head to look out the window with him. Mrs. Weasley had pulled out a handkerchief and was scrubbing at Ron's nose.

"Mom- Geroff!" He managed to squirm out of her grasp.

"Aaah, does ickle Ronnie got somfink on his nosie?" I'm pretty sure it was Fred asked.

"Oh shut up." Ron crossed his arms in a huff.

"Where's Percy?" Mrs. Weasely asked.

"He's coming now." George pointed to the eldest Weasley, who was walking with his chest puffed out.

He was already dressed in robes and had a little badge on his chest, I couldn't see what it said on it.

"Can't stay long, Mother," He said as he walked up, "I'm up front, the prefects have two compartments to themselves-"

"Oh are you a _prefect,_ Percy?" George exclaimed with an air of mock surprise.

"You should have said something we had no idea." Fred added, also with an air of mock surprise.

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," George looked at his twin, "once-"

"Or twice -"

"A minute-"

"All summer-"

"Oh shut up." Percy rolled his eyes.

I was giggling at the spectacle and even Harry cracked a smile.

"How come Percy gets new robes anyway?" Fred asked.

"Because he's a _prefect_." Mrs. Weasely said fondly, giving him a kiss on the cheek and he turned around and went back the way he came.

"Don't forget to send an owl when you get there!" She called to his back.

"Now you two," she turned to the twins, "this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've - you've blown up a toilet or-"

"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet." George turned to Fred with a wink.

"Great idea though, thanks mom!" Fred grinned at Mrs. Weasley.

"It's _not funny,_ look after Ron." Mrs. Weasely rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us." George threw an arm around the boy.

"Shut up," he rolled his shoulder.

He was almost as tall as the twins and his nose had a tinge of pink from where Mrs. Weasley had scrubbed it. I was holding my mouth trying to contain my laughter so that they didn't hear. Harry had a grin on his face.

"Hey mom, guess what. Guess who we just met on the train?" Fred said.

Harry pulled himself into his seat, so as not to be seen.

"You know that black-haired boy Cassie knows? Know who he is?" George added.

"Who?" Ginny asked.

"_Harry Potter_." They both said.

I heard Ginny's voice and Harry seemed to blush.

"Oh, mom, can I go on the train and see him, mom, oh please..." Ginny started to beg.

"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really Fred? How do you know?" Mrs. Weasley looked at her two boys while Ron shuffled next to them.

"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there - like lightning." George explained.

Harry seemed to shrink in his seat with a deeper blush on his cheeks.

"Poor _dear_\- no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform." Mrs. Weasely looked through the windows and I slammed myself back into the seat so as not to get caught eavesdropping.

"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?" One of the twins asked.

I risked peeking out the window to watch the exchange. Mrs. Weasley seemed to get a darker shadow in her aura when she rounded on the twins.

"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."

"Alright keep your hair on." Fred muttered.

The whistle sounded.

"Do you think Cassie is alright?" Mrs. Weasley asked as the boys climbed onto the train.

"Do you want me to get her?" George offered.

"Oh would you please? Hurry up I want to say good-bye before the train leaves." Ginny jumped up and down.

"Alright, alright. Just a minute." George clomped his way to the compartment.

"Hey there." I looked up to him as he opened the door.

"Mom wants to say bye to you." George said before turning around.

"Why would she want to say bye to me?" I asked Harry, getting up from my seat.

"I don't know." He shrugged.

"Well, I'll be right back." I told him as I left the compartment to go to where the red headed family was.

"Cassie!" Ginny squealed and leapt into my arms.

"Hello again Ginny." I giggled, hugging her back.

"If you need anything dearie, don't be afraid to owl and ask." Mrs. Weasley also hugged me when Ginny pulled away.

"I won't." I nodded, a friendly grin on my face.

"Be good darlings." Mrs. Weasley kissed my forehead and then the cheeks of her sons.

I was to stunned to say anything in retort.

Ginny started to cry and I gave her an apologetic smile, "I'll write to you Ginny." I promised.

I walked away with tears starting to form and I tried to wipe them away before Harry saw. When I walked into the compartment Harry was watching Ginny half crying half laughing as the train started to move. We watched as the station move until the train turned a corner. Harry noticed me standing and gestured to the seat in front of him.

"What did she want?" Harry asked.

"Just wanted to make sure I was alright." I answered, taking a shaky breath.

"You alright?" He asked, leaning on his legs to get a closer look at me.

"She kissed my forehead. I've never had someone do that before." I smiled at him.

"Never?" He asked perplexed.

"Never, not even when I woke up at the hospital with this." I gestured to my face.

"I never have either..." He said, looking sheepish.

"Well I know I'm not a mother, but here!" I perked up and gave him a quick kiss on his forehead with a grin.

He shot back in surprise and started to blush.

"Don't be so embarrassed." I laughed.

"Sorry." He apologized, also laughing.

The door to the compartment opened and Ron came in.

"Anyone sitting here?" He asked, pointing to the seat next to me. "Everywhere else is full."

Harry and I shook our heads and he sat down, looking at Harry then quickly looking towards me. I saw that he still had the black smudge on his nose.

Ariel gave a meow and I turned to her and opened the cage. As soon as I did that she climbed into my lap and was purring away when the doors opened again.

"Hey Ron." The twins stepped in.

"We're going down to the middle of the train, Lee Jordan has a giant tarantula down there." Fred exclaimed while George came and started petting Ariel.

"Right." Ron mumbled.

"Harry, did we introduce ourselves? I'm George and that's Fred, this is our little brother Ron and you already met Cassie." George pointed at the respective people while scratching Ariel's chin.

"Hello." Harry waved.

"Well see you later then." Fred waved back, grabbing George by the back of his clothes and pulling him away.

"Bye!" The three of us said as they closed the compartment.

"Would you guys excuse me? I need to find my friend." I asked, moving Ariel off my lap.

"Oh no, go ahead." Harry said, his face clearly saying it wasn't okay.

I giggled and opened the door and Arial followed me down the hallway. Looking through the windows I couldn't find Stefanie anywhere. Once I finally reached the front of the train I saw two compartments labeled 'Prefects.' I knocked on the door and I was surprised to Stefanie open it. She had her robes on and a yellow tie with a matching badge that had a badger on it.

"Cassie!" She exclaimed.

"Stefanie!" I responded in the same tone.

"I was worried that you didn't make it through the column." She gave me a hug.

"The Weasley's showed me how to get through, the twins even helped my friend get his trunk on the train." I explained, feeling Ariel sitting on my foot.

"Oh that's good." She nodded, looking relieved.

"I just wanted to let you know I made it and I'm fine." I smiled at her.

"Thank you." She nodded.

"Welcome." I made to turn around walk back to my compartment.

"Have you already made friends?" She asked before I could.

"Yes, Harry Potter, and I'm hoping Ron Weasley too before we get to Hogwarts." I nodded.

"You're friends with _Harry Potter_?!" She asked, awe in her face.

"Yeah...?" I asked, taking a step back but not going far with Ariel on my foot.

"You're so lucky!" She gushed excitedly.

"I'm glad?" I answered.

"Well you best be off then, don't want to keep The Boy Who Lived waiting." She pushed me down the way, disturbing Ariel and making her growl.

"Um, okay. See you later I guess." I waved, bending down to pick up Ariel.

"Bye!" She waved, closing the door as I walked away.

"That was weird." I said to Ariel, who meowed at me.


	8. Chapter 8

It took me awhile to get back to the compartment Harry and Ron were in. Fred and George found me, introduced me to their dark skinned friend who had a tarantula in his hand. I waved, not wanting Ariel to get close in case she ate the poor thing. Once I managed to get away from them I reached the compartment. They were in a comfortable silence when I came in.

"Hello boys." I grinned, walking in and sitting next to Harry, seeing that Ron took my spot by the window.

I didn't see the rat until Ariel had jumped from my arms across the way to Ron's side and was sniffing the rat.

"GET AWAY!" He bellowed, raising his hand to swipe at my cat.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" I screeched, grabbing Ariel before he could hit her.

"KEEP THAT THING AWAY FROM SCABBERS!" He shouted at me, putting the rat up to his chest.

"SHE WAS JUST CURIOUS." I shouted back, holding Ariel who was growling at the rat.

"I DON'T CARE!" He shouted, tucking Scabbers into his shirt.

"I'm sorry." I said, taking a breath to calm down.

"Apology-" Ron began.

"Ron," Harry said, giving him a look.

Ron seem to deflate as he patted the lump in his shirt.

"It's fine." He reluctantly said, turning away from me.

"I can make it so that she wouldn't attack him." I offered, sitting back down.

"How can you do that?" Harry asked, opening the owls cage to calm her down.

"Will you let me?" I asked, looking at Ron.

He looked hesitantly at my cat then down his shirt at Scabbers.

"As long as it doesn't eat him." He agreed.

I rolled my eyes and gestured to him to take Scabbers out.

"SHE won't eat him." I glared at the red head.

When Ron pulled Scabbers from his shirt and held tightly to the rat. Slowly I stood up and walked Ariel over to the rat. Ron was starting to shake with worry, he kept pulling Scabbers away from me.

"In order for this to work," I started quietly, making Ron jump. "I need you to keep still." I gave him a glare.

He nodded a fought to keep his hand still. I put Ariel's face to Scabbers and held my breath while she sniffed at the rat. She growled at the thing but didn't attack it. So I placed her on the seat next to Ron and put a hand on Scabbers, looking at Ariel I scratched her head. Reluctantly she stopped growling but didn't stop glaring at the rat. When I took a step back Ron gave a squeak and I held a finger up to him. I slowly sat back down and Ariel got up from her crouch and sniffed the rat again. Giving a growl she jumped back over to me and sat on my lap, growling at Scabbers.

"It's still growling." Ron looked at me accusingly.

"Well she can't stop that, it's a cat thing Ron." Harry said, letting the snowy owl out for her to stretch her wings.

Ron grunted but finally dropped the subject.

"You haven't told me her name." I said, pointing to the owl sitting on the table.

I gave a smile and she chirped at me.

"I named her Hedwig, I read it in 'A History of Magic.' " Harry answered, rubbing his finger against her cheek.

"Hedwig, it fits her perfectly." I smiled at Harry.

"Thank you." He nodded, smiling back at me.

We sat in silence for awhile, Ariel occasionally growling but she finally fell asleep on my lap. Hedwig would watch us and sometime glare at the rat but Ron didn't notice. After a while we heard a voice shouting down the hall. Harry stood up and took a look out side.

"Anything from the trolley dears?" She asked, I nudged Ariel off my lap.

Walking over to the Trolley I saw so many different sweets I was overwhelmed. I shook my head at her and sat back down next to Ariel who had curled up where I left her. Harry however bought some of everything. He tipped everything onto the seat next to Ron.

"Hungry are you?" Ron asked, his ears going pink.

"Starving." Harry answered, taking a bite out of a pumpkin pasty, tossing me one.

"Thank you." I smiled as I opened it and took a hesitant bite.

Harry smiled back as Ron pulled out a lumpy package and unwrapped it, revealing four sandwiches.

"She always forgets I don't like corned beef." He sighed, taking a bite out of one.

"Swap you for one of these," Harry offered, holding up a pasty.

"Go on." I encouraged, still wanting to be Ron's friend.

"You don't want this. It's all dry," Ron shrugged. "She hasn't got much time," He added quite quickly, "you know, with five of us."

"Come on, have a pasty." Harry held it out for him.

I smiled as Ron took it from him, putting the sandwiches on the table. Hedwig would peck at the dry bread now and again. Harry would offer me different sweets and I would accept some of them, not feeling to hungry.

"What are these?" Harry asked, picking up a pack of chocolate frogs.

"They're not real frogs are they?" I asked, not really wanting to eat an actual frog covered in chocolate.

"No, but see what the card is. I'm miss Agrippa." Ron said.

"What?" Harry and I asked.

"Right, you don't know. Chocolate frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy." Ron explained.

Harry and I just looked at each other and I shrugged at him. He unwrapped one tossed me another, together we opened it and pulled out the card.

"I've got a Nicholas Flamel." I shrugged.

"I've got Dumbledore." Harry said excitedly.

I held my hand out for it, Harry tossed it to me, but when I took a look I only saw a black space.

"Are you sure?" I asked, tossing it back to him.

"Yeah- wait he's gone!" Harry exclaimed.

"Well you can't expect him to hang out all day can you?" Ron laughed, eyeing the pile of Chocolate Frogs.

"Help yourself." Harry gestured to the pile of candy.

"Thanks." Ron nodded, tossing me another Chocolate Frog.

"Thank you." I said quietly, giving him a smile.

I giggled when I saw his ears turn pink. Looking down at my card I was astonished to see a blank spot.

"You know," I said, "in the muggle world, people stay put in the photos."

"Do they? They don't move at all?" Ron asked, tearing through box after box.

"Not at all." I answered accepting the cards Ron were throwing at me and Harry.

I was looking through all the cards when I heard a box being opened.

"You want to be careful with those." Ron said.

I looked up to see Harry with a striped box that had a variety of different colored jelly beans.

"Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans?" Harry asked.

"They mean every flavor. You get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavored one once." Ron explained, picking up a green jelly bean and examining it before biting it.

"Bleaargh! See? Sprouts." Ron pulled a face that had me in giggles.

Ron and I were getting along thankfully, I didn't want to have a friendship where Harry had to be the mediator between us. After laughing and trying out different beans a round faced boy came in sniffling.

"Sorry," he said shyly, "but have you seen a toad?"

"No sorry." I shook my head, Harry and Ron agreeing with me.

"I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me." He wailed.

"I'm sure he'll turn up." Harry tried to console him.

"Yeah... Well if you see him will you let me know?" He asked, walking out.

"Don't know why he's bothered," Ron commented. "If I brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."

We all looked at the rat sleeping in Ron's lap.

"He could be dead but you couldn't tell the difference," Ron sneered.

"I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but it didn't work. I'll show you look..." He rummaged around his trunk, looking for his wand.

He cleared his throat and I pulled my feet up on the seat, petting Ariel's soft fur. When he pulled out his wand it was chipped with a bit of something silver poking out of the end.

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out." Ron muttered.

Before he could do anything, the compartment slid open again, when we looked I saw a familiar looking girl wearing her Hogwarts robes already, along with the boy from earlier.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one." She said, her voice had a bossy tone to it.

"We already told him, we haven't seen it." I answered, a hesitant smile on my face.

She wasn't paying attention to what I have to say, she was focused on Ron's wand.

"Oh, are doing magic? Let's see it then." She sat down next to Ariel.

"Umm..." I shrugged at Ron.

"Alright.." Ron shrugged at me.

_"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, __turn this stupid fat rat yellow!" _Ron waved his wand at Scabbers, but nothing happened.

Are you sure that's a real spell? Well it's not very good is it? I've tried a few simple spells for practice and it's worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" She said all of the in one breath.

I looked at the boys and saw them look at each other and when Harry looked at me I shook my head. His shoulders slumped in relief, I wasn't the only one who didn't read all of the course books.

"I'm Ron Weasley." Ron muttered.

"Cassie Zwart." I held my hand out for her to shake.

"Harry Potter." Harry said as Hermione shook my hand.

"Are you really? I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in _Modern Magical History _and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century._" Hermione once again said really fast and in one breath.

Ron and I looked from her to each other back to her.

"Am I?" Harry asked, dazed at the speed she talked.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me. Do any of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

I was impressed with her lungs when she left the compartment, pulling the boy with her. I started to wave, but I don't think either of them saw. I know I saw her from somewhere, I just couldn't remember where though.


	9. Chapter 9

When the door closed and silence filled the air I finally turned to face the boys.

"That was fun." I deadpanned.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not." Ron stated, putting his wand back in his trunk.

"I don't know, she just seemed nervous. I mean, she is muggleborn." I shrugged.

"What house are your brothers in?" Harry asked quickly, seeing that Ron was about to snap back at me.

"Gryffindor," Ron answered, gloom in his voice, "mom and dad were in it too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me Slytherin."

"That's the house Vol- I mean, You-Know-Who was in?" Harry asked.

I looked at Harry, scrunching my eyebrows together.

_'You-Know-Who?'_ I thought, looking at Harry then Ron who gave a little shudder.

"Yeah." Ron slumped back into his seat, despair in his face.

"You know, I think Scabbers whiskers are a bit lighter." I pointed, trying to cheer up Ron.

He only looked at Scabbers but didn't say anything.

"So what do your brothers do?" Harry asked.

I perked up, Charlotte runs a foster house for kids. Some of us stay while others come and go, but what to actual witches and wizards do?

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons. Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," Ron sat up. "Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the _Daily Prophet, _but I don't suppose you get that with muggles - someone tried to rob a high security vault."

Harry and I just stared at him.

"Really? What happened to them?" Harry asked.

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark Wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it." Ron explained, picking up another sweet and munching on it.

Harry sat back and was clearly thinking about what Ron just said but I was still confused.

"Who's You-Know-Who?" I asked, crossing my arms as Ariel woke up and jumped from her position from next to me to on the head rest behind me.

Ron almost choked on his sweet, looking at me with wide eyes. Harry shook his head and opened his mouth to answer me but Ron interrupted him.

" 'Who's You-Know-Who?' Blimey Cassie! With questions like that people would think you were daft." Ron pointed a rainbow looking licorice thing at me.

"Well then answer my question and I won't be daft." I retorted, folding my arms and looking at him expectantly.

"His actual name is Voldemort." Harry said from his corner.

Ron gave a squeak and shudder while looking at Harry with fear.

"Voldemort?" I asked, the name feeling funny on my tongue.

"DON'T SAY HIS NAME!" Ron shouted, leaping up and making Scabbers fall from his lap.

"Why not?" I asked, raising my hands in a surrendering fashion.

"He's a dark wizard, he killed a lot of witches and wizards when they didn't turn to his side. Harry here is the only one to survive the Killing Curse. He even managed to defeat He-Must-Not-Be-Named! Harry was only barely a year old!" Ron sat down, pulling Scabbers back on his lap.

"So... Why can't we say his name?" I asked, making the boys gape at me.

"Wait, you're not interested in how I survived?" Harry asked first.

"Yes but that isn't really at the top of my list of things to worry about." I shrugged.

"Y-y-you just don't say his name!" Ron practically shouted.

"Okay, okay. Calm down Ron. I was just asking." I said, raising my hands once more before leaning back and folding my arms and legs.

After another moment of silence Ron tossed me another chocolate frog to my surprise.

"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked, getting another sweet.

"I don't have any." Harry answered, running his hand through his hair.

"I don't either." I answered, not wanting to be yelled at again.

"What?" Ron looked dumbfounded.

"Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world -" And he wouldn't shut up about it.

He was explaining the four different balls used, the players and their positions, describing the games he went with his brothers and the broomstick he wanted to buy. I had pulled out my book by Newt Scamander and was quietly reading it when the door opened again. Looking up I saw three boys come in. Two were big and brawny for eleven years old, the other had super blonde hair that was neatly in place.

"Hello Draco." I said, folding a corner of the page I was on and closing the book.

He looked at me and gave a sneer before turning to the boys.

"Is it true?" He asked, "They're saying all down the train Harry Potter's in the compartment. So it's you, is it?" Draco pointed at Harry.

"Yes." Harry nodded, eyeing the two boys beside Draco.

"Oh this is Crabbe and Goyle. And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." Draco said.

Ariel gave a low growl while Ron slightly coughed. Draco turned to him with a sneer.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children they could afford." Draco scoffed.

I was so angry at the way he spoke to Ron that I clenched my fist and I felt my hair change to a cherry red.

"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than other, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." He puffed out his chest, holding his hand out for Harry to shake.

I silently uncrossed my feet and placed them on the ground, my jaw clenched.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks." Harry said coolly.

I applauded him, earning a glare from the boys with a double take. I grinned maliciously at them, knowing what they were thinking. Draco didn't look back so I couldn't see his face, but I bet it was red.

"I'd be careful if I were Potter. Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around them with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid and _her_, it'll rub off you." Draco tossed his head at me but he didn't look at me.

All three of us stood up and Ariel jumped down from her perch back to the seat, fluffed up. I cracked my knuckles and Draco finally turned to me. He paled when he saw that my hair was red and that I was grinning.

"Say that again." Ron said, his face as red as his own hair.

"Oh are you going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered, avoiding looking at me.

"Unless you get out." Harry said, looking more brave than I felt, Crabbe and Goyle were bigger than the three of us.

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some." Malfoy eyed the pile on the seat.

Goyle went for a Chocolate Frog next to Ron. I saw Ron leap forward, but he didn't even touch Goyle, yet he was yelling incoherently. I saw Scabbers hanging off his finger, his teeth on Goyle's knuckle. Crabbe took a step forward when Ariel leapt at his with a growl meow. Draco was backing away as Crabbe was trying to get Ariel off of him and Goyle with Scabbers.

"Ariel!" I shouted, holding my arms for her.

Thankfully she jumped off of Crabbe's face and into my arms, I caught her and I spun around, Harry stepping into my place as I dropped Ariel unceremoniously on the edge of the window before turning around to catch Scabbers as he was thrown my way just in time. I'm sure my hair changed back to brown when I looked up none of the three boys were there but Hermione was.

"What has been going on?" She exclaimed, looking around at the mess and Ron taking Scabbers from me.

"Has he been knocked out?" Ron asked, looking at Scabbers. "No - I don't believe it - he's back asleep."

"Seriously?" I asked, looking Scabbers too.

"You've met Malfoy before?" Harry asked.

"I was walking out of _'Ollivanders_' as he was walking in." I answered, turning back to Ariel; looking at her paws and scratching her ears as she rubbed her head against my hand.

"I've heard about his family," Ron said darkly, setting Scabbers back down as Harry and I started picking up the candy on the ground. "They were some of the first to come back after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side."

Looking up, I saw that Hermione was still standing by the door, "Can we help you with something?" I asked, putting the sweets in my hand on the seat Ron and Harry were originally sitting on.

"You better hurry up and put your robes on. I was just up with the conductor and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there." She sniffed, sticking her nose up in the air.

"Not if there isn't someone to mention something that never happened." I answered, looking up at her.

"Scabbers and Ariel were fighting anyway, not us." Ron added, scowling at her, I looked at him in shock for saying Ariel's name and not calling her an it. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right - I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," she sniffed once more. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

I stood up and pushed her out while feeling Ron's glare at her back. Without another word she walked off while I waited outside for the boys to finish up changing into their robes. I had to squish myself up against the door as people were running up and down the corridor, some in robes, some in regular clothing. Finally the door opened and Harry and Ron stepped out while I stepped in to change into my own robes.

"We'll be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." A voiced echoed through the train just as I finished putting on the cloak to finish the school uniform.

My stomach tightened and I almost regretted eating all of the food we had, when I opened the door I saw that both Harry and Ron were pale. I imagined I was too.

"Cassie?" Ron asked, cramming sweets into his pockets.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Your hair is green." He pointed, stepping out of the compartment .

"Is it?" I asked, pulling a strand towards the front of my face to see if it was true.

"Yes." Harry nodded, cramming the rest of his candy into his pockets.

"Oh... I don't understand, my hair didn't change at all before this." I looked at my hair, trying to change it back to brown but it wasn't working.

"Well, aren't you nervous?" Harry asked, also stepping out of the compartment.

"I am, think that might be why?" I asked, following the two boys.

Ariel must have not wanted to be apart, she followed me out of the compartment and jumped into my arms.

"Maybe..." Harry answered, looking at me with a jealous look on his face.

"If you want to go grab Hedwig, I'll wait." I told him, carrying Ariel down the corridor.

"No it's fine." He sighed.

"Okay." I nodded, grabbing his arm so that I wouldn't get separated from him in the crowd.

When we reached the door, the prefect manning the door helped me down and gave Ariel and scratch on the head before closing the door. We were the last one off. Harry and I shivered from the night air. I saw a lamp bobbing through the bodies.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there Harry, Cassie?" Hagrid asked, his hairy face beaming over the heads.

I nodded, not trusting my voice.

"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Hagrid turned around, leading a sea of bodies down a narrow path.

I stumbled a few times, that I was holding onto Harry since he helped me keep my balance and I helped him when he stumbled. I heard few kids sniffle on the way down this path. When we turned a corner Harry, Ron, and I gasped. The narrow path had opened onto the edge of a great lake. On a high mountain on the other side, a vast castle with many turrets and towers stood with windows sparkling with the stars in the sky.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a bunch of boats by the shore.

Ron, Harry, and I got in a boat with the Neville boy, Ariel started squirming when I got into the boat.

"It's ok Ariel, I won't drop you in the water." I whispered to her, trying to keep my grip on her.

She managed to get away from me somehow and she scampered to the edge of the boat and with what sounded like a happy meow before jumping out of the boat!

"Ariel!" Harry shouted with me.

Leaning over the boat I was shocked to see her _swimming next to the boat! _

"Aye, Turkish Van's are know for their loving personality, and ability to swim." Hargrid said from somewhere in front of us.

"I didn't know that." I said, feeling Ron move to the other side of the boat to even it out so that it wouldn't tip.

Suddenly the boats began to move, looking between my cat who seemed to be keeping up with a happy purr and the castle getting closer I couldn't help being awed by the sight of the castle. While I was looking at the castle I heard Ariel meow, when I looked down at her she was right by the boat looking up at me. I tried to grab her but she was tiring out and I didn't get to her fast enough. Thankfully Harry managed to grabbed her before she got to far behind.

"Thank you Harry." I whispered to him, taking off my cloak and attempting to dry her fur with it.

"Don't mention it." He whispered back, attempting to take off his own cloak.

"I'm fine don't worry about it." I whispered, giving him a smile as I moved Ariel to a dry spot on my cloak.

"Are you sure?" He asked, pausing his movements.

"Heads down!" Hagrid shouted, stopping my reply.

I nodded to Harry before looking forward, bending my head down. When the ivy hanging down passed us I raised my head up. Ariel snuggled into my arms and I wrapped her in my cloak as best as I could. We were carried along a dark tunnel, reaching some kind of underground harbor, we climbed out of the boats. Ron actually helped me out of the boat since I was struggling to get out.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" Hagrid asked, holding his hands to reveal a warty brown toad.

"Trevor!" Neville cried happily, running to get his toad.

After he got his toad, we walked up the passageway in the rock after Hagrid's swinging lamp light. We finally came out to a smooth damp grass in the shadow of the castle.

"Everyone here? You there, still got your toad and cat?" Hagrid asked Neville and me.

We both nodded as Hagrid raised his fist and knocked on the castle door.


	10. Chapter 10

"Your hair turned back to brown." Ron muttered to me as Hagrid passed us off.

"Thank you for telling me." I muttered back, managing to hear Hagrid call the stern face teacher Professor McGonagall.

She pulled the door wide, I saw the entranced hall and was amazed at the size of it, Harry was also staring at everything, turning his head this way and that to attempt to see everything. Professor McGonagall lead us across the stone floor, the stone wall reminding me off Gringotts. I heard a few gasps and turned my head to see what was going on when I saw that they were pointing at me.

"Ron, why are they looking at me?" I whispered.

Ron looked at me and gasped, "your hair is now pink!"

"Darn it! I thought I would get through this part without my hair changing!" I whispered sharply, my hair turning a more dark shade of pink.

When I looked up I saw a light underneath the door to the right.

"That's where the rest of the school must be." Harry whispered to us.

Ron and I nodded in agreement, following the crowd into a small empty chamber off the hall. We managed to crowd in, standing shoulder to shoulder.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room." Professor McGonagall folded her hands together and looked at each of us.

Ariel started to shiver and squirm in my arms. Trying to not be noticed, I crouched down and put her on the ground lightly, she gave herself a shake, sat down on her haunches and started to groom herself. Standing back up I saw McGonagall looking at me with her eyebrow raised. Giving a small smile I waved at her, my hair earning spots of a light green.

Raising both eyebrows she continued, "the four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while your are waiting." She looked at each of us once more.

"I shall return when we are ready for you, please wait quietly." She turned and left us.

Harry swallowed loudly and I gave a sigh relief. Looking down I saw that Ariel was still grooming herself so I turned to see that Neville had one of his clasps under his ear.

"Neville, let me help you." I said quietly, leaning over to fix his cloak so that it was proper.

"Th-thank you." He stuttered.

"It's no problem, I'm Cassie by the way." I smiled at him, leaning away when his cloak fastenings were fixed.

"H-hi Cassie." He blushed, looking away from me.

Giggling, I turned to Ron and saw that he still had dirt on his nose and Harry was attempting to flattening his hair.

"Harry your hair won't flatten, I think you should just leave it." I suggested, finding a wet spot on my cloak from Ariel and attempted to clean Ron's nose.

"What are you doing?" Ron tried to keep me away from his face.

"You still have dirt on your nose, do you want that to be people's first thought when they see you?" I snapped, grabbing his head and rubbing at his face.

He only grumbled as he finally stopped fighting me, I finally managed to clean the dirt off so I let him go and stuck my tongue out at him.

"How do you get Sorted, exactly?" Harry asked, helping me put on my own cloak.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." Ron shrugged.

I gave a sharp inhale and looked at Harry. He looked as terrified as I felt. Looking around I noticed that Hermione was the only one talking, even though she was only muttering something under her breath. Everyone else was to scared to say anything. I grabbed Harry and Ron's hands, squeezing them. Harry squeezed mine back but Ron sneered at me but gave my hand a squeeze before letting go. I put my head down and gave a secret smile to Ariel who was now focusing on her tail.

Suddenly Harry gasped beside me. Looking up I gave a gasp also. Ghosts had come through the walls! They were transparent and hardly glancing at us. Several in them appeared to be in conversation.

"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance-" A fat monk was saying before he was interrupted by another.

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?"

Nobody wanted to answer, so I offered, "we're new students. We're waiting for Professor McGonagall to come back."

"New students! I hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house you know." The Friar said with a grin.

"Move along now!" McGonagall's sharp voice said. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Slowly the ghosts floated through the opposite wall.

"Now form a line, and follow me." McGonagall turned around and lead us once more.

Picking up Ariel so that she wouldn't get trampled I managed to squeeze between Harry and Neville, Ron in front of Harry. We walked out of the chamber and through the doubles from earlier and into the Great Hall. It was beautiful. Thousands of lit candles were floating above us, four extremely long tables were in the Hall. Students were sitting at the tables with glittering goblets and plates shining like gold. At the far end of the hall was a fifth long table.

"I think those are the teachers." I whispered, not knowing if Harry or Neville heard me.

McGonagall lead us to the front and we ended up facing the students, with our backs to the teachers. The many faces of the students had me nervous, I heard a gasp as I looked up to see that the ceiling was black dotted with star.

"Cassie! Your hair is pink!" Neville whispered quite loudly into my ear.

Chuckles echoed through the Great Hall, noticing that my hair had turned an even lighter shade of pink I bowed my head. Feeling the blood rush to my face as well. Harry gave me what I thought to be a comforting nudge. I nodded to him but didn't dare raise my head until I felt the warmth leave my cheeks. I didn't hear what Hermione said but Ron gave a quiet groan.

Finally managing to look up I saw that McGonagall had placed a stool in front of us with a pointed hat on it.

"Do we have to try and pull a rabbit out of it?" Harry whispered to me.

I shrugged, dropping Ariel when she squirmed. Watching her weave her way through the first years, I kept an eye on her until she walked up to the Weasley twin's at the table on the far left. I think it was George who picked her up and placed her in his lap. Scratching her ears, I think he winked at me. I was to far away to really tell. Turning back to the Hat I noticed that everyone had gone quiet. Turning to the Hat, I saw it twitch.

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
__A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just a loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
and unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
If you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
Don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!_

The hall burst into applause. I clapped more out of politeness than anything.

"So we've got try on the hat!" Ron whispered. "I'll kill Fred, we was going on about wrestling a troll!"

I smiled weakly at Harry who did the same to me. Trying on a hat was definitely better than wrestling a troll. McGonagall stepped forward while holding a long scroll of parchment. My stomach started to twist from nerves. Grabbing some hair to put it over my shoulder I saw it change from the pink to an ugly lime green.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be Sorted." She explained.

"Abbott, Hannah!" Was the first name to be called.

A pink-faced girl with her blonde hair in pigtails stumbled forward. She put on the hat, it fell over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's paused was required when-

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat had shouted.

The table to my right burst into cheers and clapped as Hannah went to join them. The Friar ghost waved merrily to her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"It's alphabetical order!" I groaned.

"What's wrong with that?" Harry whispered to me as the Hufflepuff table burst into cheers again.

"My name is Zwart, as in Z W A. I'm going to be the last one called, I'll be here all by myself!" I whispered back as a Boot, Terry was sorted into Ravenclaw.

"Oh... Well hopefully someone will have their last name starting wit or something." Harry whispered, trying to calm me down.

I gave a forced giggle but smiled at him anyway to show him I appreciated it. I was to nervous and really listen, the different table would burst into cheers and the group of first years started to dwindle. With my blood ringing in my ears, I didn't even realize that I was holding Harry's hand until he pulled away from me to sit on the stool. Holding my breath I watched him sit on the stool with the hat on his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted.

I let out my breath and clapped with Gryffindor, Harry looked back after shaking hands with everyone and smiled at me and Ron. I shuffled closer to Ron and this time it was him who grabbed my hand. Squeezing it I tried to focus on the rest of the Sorting but my stomach was jumping and twisting. Finally Ron was called forward.

I gave his hand one last squeeze, "Good luck." I muttered.

Ron nodded at me, when he walked to the stool I noticed that it was just me and a dark skinned boy too. Shuffling closer to him he gave me a shaky nod. I gave him one too as we watched Ron set the hat on his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Ron just about jumped a meter and shakily took off the hat and hurried to the Gryffindor table.

"Zabini, Blaise." Was called next.

The boy next to me took a step forward.

"Good luck to you." I whispered to him.

"And to you." He whispered back before walking the rest of the way to the hat.

"SLYTHERIN!" The Slytherin table erupted into cheers and welcomed him with open arms.

"Zwart, Cassiopeia!" I was the last one called.

Taking a deep shaking breath I walked to the stool. Picking up the hat I noticed that my hair had changed to shade of a boogie green. Disgusted with the shade I put the hat on and sat on the stool.

_'Interesting mind, you have a block on your memories... I cannot reach it.'_

'_What?'_

_'This is powerful magic, Dumbledore must have placed it there. Only he could perform this strong of a memory charm.'_

_'What would he be blocking?'_

_'I don't know, but I see that you are quite the loyal person Hufflepuff would be the best place for you.'_

_'No! Please, put me in Gryffindor.'_

_'You are the third person to ask me for Gryffindor today.'_

_'Third?'_

_'Alright if you insist - _GRYFFINDOR!" Rang through the hall.

With a sigh of relief I handed the hat to McGonagall who gave me a kind smile. I rushed over to the table and gave a relieved hug to Harry and Ron who were laughing as the table cheered.

"Cassie, congratulations!" I heard a twin say.

"Thank you, and thank you for watching Ariel." I thanked, taking Ariel who was handed over the table to me by Fred.

"No problem." He smiled sitting down.

I smiled widely, also sitting down with Ariel in my lap, earning curious looks from the rest of the tables. Looking at the table my stomach stopped twisting and I realized I was hungry. The man at the center of the table in the front of the hall stood up.

He was beaming at us and had his arms wide out, "Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

He sat back down.

"Is he a bit mad?" Harry and I asked at the same time.

"Mad? He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes Harry?" The voice of Percy answered.

Harry's mouth dropped opened and I'm sure mine hit the table. The empty dishes in front of us were now filled with delicious smelling food. There were so many different kinds that I couldn't wait to try. Accepting the mashed potatoes from Harry I spooned some onto my plate and some roast beef. Cutting a little bit off I held some for Ariel who sniffed at it and pulled out of my fingers and dropped to the floor to eat it.

Putting some steamed carrots and peas onto my plate, I mixed them with my potatoes before cutting the roast beef into several pieces for Ariel and larger ones for me. Ariel would put her paw on my leg and I would drop some meat down for her.

"That does look good." A voice said from across the table.

Looking up I was surprised to see that Hermione and Neville had both also gotten into Gryffindor and were sitting next to a ghost.

"Can't you-?" Harry began.

"I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," the ghost interrupted. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" Ron exclaimed from next to me, making me jump and almost choke on my meat.

Harry handed my goblet of pumpkin juice. Nodding my thanks to him I took a sip to chase my food down.

"My brothers told me about you. You're Nearly Headless Nick!" Ron pointed.

"I prefer Sir Nicholas de Mimsy -" He was cut off by a sandy haired boy.

"Nearly Headless?"

"I don't think-" I tried to interrupt, see Sir Nick getting miffed.

"How can you be Nearly Headless?" The boy continued.

"Maybe we shouldn't-" I tried to interrupt again but failed.

"Like this." Sir Nick said irritated.

He grabbed his left ear and pulled his whole head off, it swung and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a door hinge. I put my hand to my mouth trying to keep my dinner from coming back up. Pleased with our reactions, Sir Nick put his head back to shoulder and coughed.

"So new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup ix years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable. He's the Slytherin Ghost."

I looked over to the Slytherin table and saw that Malfoy was not pleased to be sitting next to a gaunt ghost with robes stained with blood.

"How did he get covered in blood?" I asked, dropping another piece of meat for Ariel.

"I never asked." Sir Nick said delicately.

I nodded and went back to eating, there was conversation around me but I wasn't sure which one to join. Looking under the table I saw that Ariel was ready to jump back onto my lap. So I moved my napkin and she was back where she belonged. Giggling, I watched her sit down and poke her head over the edge of table, watching everyone as they talked.

"What's up with your cat?" Fred asked, using his knife to point at Ariel.

"She's got personality, and she's curious. This is also her first time at Hogwarts." I shrugged putting my silverware down and picking up my goblet to drink.

"I've never seen a cat so attached to their person." Hermione mentioned.

"Well just because cat's don't talk doesn't mean they don't speak. We all choose our friends, like how cats choose their person. She has chosen me and I'm sure once we're settled in she'll go off exploring and I won't see her for a few days at a time." I explained, kissing her head.

There was a chorus of awe's when she returned the kiss to my chin. I giggled and scratched her under her chin.

"Hey, how'd you learn to change your hair color?" Neville asked.

"I don't know, I woke up one day and saw that my hair had changed and I started changing my hair to different colors." I lied, not wanting to tell them about Gertrude.

"You must be a Metamorphmagus." Hermione said.

"A what?" Harry, Ron, and I asked.

"A Metamorphmagus, they can change their form at will." She explained, sniffing at our lack of knowledge.

"But she can only change her hair." Ron said skeptically.

"You really think so?" I turned to him, changing my face to look like his.

He was so surprised that he squeaked and fell backwards off the bench. The table laughed as I held my hand out to help him get back up on his feet. And the other tables were craning their necks to see what happened.

"Well now I know she can change her appearance." He grumbled, earning some chuckles.

"Oh this is going to be fun." I said in Dumbledore's voice.

"THIS IS SO COOL!" I shouted in Harry's voice this time.

"Look at me, I'm Ron Weasley and I'm Harry's best mate!" I said as I changed my appearance to that of Ron's and even changing my vocal cords to his.

"That's really freaky." Harry managed to say through his laughter.

With a grin I changed back to my appearance, using a spoon to make sure that I even changed my hair to the ugly brown color I had and that my scar may have magically healed. Sadly, the scar returned too. When I was done I realized that our plates were once again clean and sparkling and instead of the delicious foods from dinner, the food and changed to different desserts. Scooping some ice cream onto my plate I let Ariel sniffed it. She turned her nose up at it and I shrugged and started to eat it.

"I'm half and half." The sandy hair boy said in a Scottish accent, "Me dad's a muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

We all laughed.

"What about you Neville?" I asked him.

"We'll, my gran brought me up and she's a witch, but the family thought I was all-muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me. He pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned. But nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and was hanging me out of the upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidently let go. But I bounced all the way down the garden and into the road."

I gave a gasp at that.

"They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here, they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algue was so pleased he bought me my toad." He continued.

"What about you?" Ron asked me.

"I didn't know I had magic until the day before my birthday, that's when I found out about this." I changed my hair to a blue shade. "My mom was a witch though, my foster mom told me that; but we don't know who my father is though." I shrugged.

Conversations continued and I started to get sleepy. I put my head on Harry's shoulder and started to doze off. I don't know what happened but Harry jerked and it jarred my head.

"Ouch!" We both said, me rubbing the side of my head and Harry his forehead.

"What is it?" Percy asked, looking at the two of us.

"N-nothing." Harry said as I pointed at him.

"Who's the teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked as I laid my head on Ron's shoulders this time.

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to. Everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows a lot about the Dark Arts, Snape." Percy answered, pointing to the table.

I moved my head to look at the table and saw a man with greasy black hair and a hooked nose glaring over at us. There was another man with a purple turban turned to Snape.

"Which one's which?" I asked, moving my head when Ron kept jerking his shoulder.

"Black hair is Snape, turban is Quirrell." Harry answered.

I nodded and continued to watch the teachers socialize with each other.

Finally the desserts disappeared and Dumbledore got to his feet once again. I sat up and faced him, Ariel still on my lap.

"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." He turned to face Gryffindor and I looked back to see the twins smirking, George gave me a wink.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a painful death."

Harry laughed but he was one of the few who did. I tilted my head to the side, curiosity already filling my mind.

"He's not serious?" I heard Harry mutter to Percy.

"Must be," Percy answered, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere. The forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might've told us prefects, at least."

I shrugged when Harry looked at me.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore cried out.

I saw that the other teachers at the table had now forced smiles on their faces. Dumbledore gave his wand a flick and a long ribbon flew out of it. It rose above the tables and twisted itself into words. I could only gape in horror and slammed my jaw shut.

"Everyone pick your favorite tune, and here we go!" Dumbledore said with excitement in his voice.

The school bellowed out the song but I only listened to it.

_"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something please,__Whether we be old and bald  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot."_

Everyone finished at different times, I gave a giggle when it was just the Weasely twins left. They had chosen a slow funeral march kind of tune. Dumbledore conducted them until they finished.

"Why didn't you sing?" Ron asked me.

"I have a horrible singing voice." I answered bluntly.

"I don't think you do." Harry said.

"That's nice of you to say Harry, but you haven't heard it yet." I said giving him smirk.

The hall finally clapped when Fred and George were done singing.

"Ah music," Dumbledore wiped his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! Off you trot!"

We stood up and followed Percy out of the Great Hall. I was holding a protesting Ariel when we walked up a marbled staircase. I had to weave my arm through Harry's because he looked to tired to be keeping up. The portraits were moving and they were pointing at us.

"Harry! The pictures move!" I tried to shake him awake but he just nodded his head and followed the crowd.

I got lost going through hidden passageways and behind tapestries. I was grateful that Ariel jumped out of my arms and managed to stay by my side without getting trampled. I noticed that we all stopped, looking over the sandy blonde boy I saw that there were walking sticks tossing themselves at Percy.

"Peeves, a poltergeist." Percy whispered to us.

"Peeves, show yourself!" Percy shouted.

A raspberry was blown but nothing else happened.

"Do you want me to get the Bloody Baron?" Percy threatened.

There was a pop over our heads and I saw a man with dark eyes a wide mouth was grinning wickedly at us.

"Oooooh ickle firsties! What fun!" He cackled.

He swooped at us and we all ducked, Ariel hissed at him.

"Go away Peeves or the Baron will hear about this!" Percy barked.

Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks he had on Neville. I heard him zoom away, rattling the coats of armor he passed.

"You want to watch for Peeves, the Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are." Percy explained as we stopped in front of a portrait of a very fat lady in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" She asked.

"Caput Draconis." Percy answered and the portrait swung forward to reveal a hole in the wall.

We all went in, Ron and Harry had to help Neville up, and I looked around in awe. The walls and furniture were all red and gold to match Gryffindor's colors I guess. Percy directed the girls through one door and the boys through another.

"Good night." I said to Harry and Ron.

"Good night." They answered, following Percy.

I ended up walking with Hermione and two other girls into our dormitory. It said first years on the door. When one of the girls opened it I was awed once again at the four poster canopy beds. I found my trunk and Ariel's cage by one bed that was next to Hermione's bed. The other two girls were on the other side of the room

"I can't wait for tomorrow, I'm excited about Transfiguration. I wonder what we'll be doing first..." Hermione was attempting to talk to me as we changed into our pajamas.

"I don't know, I think I'm more looking forward to Charms." I replied, climbing into the bed while Ariel jumped up and made herself comfortable on a pillow.

The two girls were sitting on their beds and talking and giggling away. I rolled my eyes as I yawned.

"Hey, Zwart?" A voice asked.

"Cassie." I answered, looking at the two girls.

"Um, Cassie. Where did you get that scar?" The Indian one asked, pointing to my face.

"I woke up with it one morning." I answered, turning to Hermione.

"Good night." I said, closing the curtains.

"Good night." I heard three voices respond.

I didn't hear what the two girls started whispering, I was asleep the minute my head hit the pillow.


	11. Chapter 11

_I was laying down on the ground. I couldn't move as flashes of sliver moved above me._

_"Baby shouldn't get to be able to change her looks. I deserve to be have that kind of power." A voice cackled around the room._

_"What do you want?" I tried to ask._

_"Baby doesn't deserve to have powers." The voice mocked, flashes of silver took over my eyesight._

_I couldn't speak, my mouth wouldn't open; even to scream. I couldn't try and talk to who the voice belonged too. I couldn't do anything!_

_"Little Baby can't speak? Well darn, maybe she can scream!"_

"**NO****!**" I shot up, opening my eyes.

"Cassie?" Hermione asked.

My eyes were wide, I was gasping for breath and Hermione had my curtain open.

"Are you alright?" She asked slowly.

"Yes. Sorry I didn't mean to wake you up." I apologized, throwing the covers off me.

"You didn't I was already awake. It's six in the morning." She stepped back, helping me put the curtains back around the posts.

"Is there time for me to take a shower?" I asked.

"Yeah you should, breakfast is at seven thirty. Ariel was in with me, I hope you don't mind." Hermione walked back to her bed and grabbed her red and gold striped tie.

"Only if you don't mind that she was with you." I shrugged, grabbing my clothes and hurrying to the bathroom.

I dumped my clothes on the counter next to sink, brushing my hair I turned on the water and Ariel was still laying in the tub. With a happy purr she was playing with the water that bounced back up. Undressing I got in with her and started to wash the sweat out of my hair. Putting some of the bubbles on Ariel she walked under the water to get them off. I giggled at that; finishing up I climbed back and dried myself.

Looking at my clothes I put on my training bra and then the button up shirt and then putting the tie under the flaps of the shirt. I put on the stockings, grimacing at the feel of them on my legs. I slid on the skirt, picked Ariel up in a towel and walked out drying her.

"Could you help me with my tie?" Hermione asked, holding hers out for me.

"I was going to ask you the same thing." I giggled.

"Oh, I guess we could ask the older girls." Hermione looked crestfallen.

"Don't worry I'm sure they'll be glad to teach us anyway." I smiled.

"Oh, okay." She nodded, pulling on her shoes.

I nodded as well and put Ariel on my bed, and started looking for my shoes.

"Have you seen my shoes?" I asked, looking under the bed for them.

"No, I saw them on your trunk this morning though." She answered, grabbing her cloak.

"Weird, maybe the other two girls have seen them." I shrugged, grabbing the jacket for the uniform, and my book bag.

Together we walked down the stairs to the common room below. Looking around I found Fred and George about to leave the room.

"Wait! Fred! George!" I called out, running after them.

"Well good morning Cassie! Sleep well?" George asked, grinning down at me.

"No I had a bad dream, I need your help." I answered looking at the two of them.

Hermione was right behind me a little breathless.

"Wait you had a bad dream? Are you okay?" Fred asked, concern in his eyes.

"I'm fine, can you tie my tie and you Hermione's?" I asked, taking Hermione's tie and shoving it in Fred's hands and mine in George's.

"Don't expect us to do this every day." George raised an eyebrow at me as he tied my tie in under twenty seconds.

"Of course not, we just need it for now and when the time comes we'll ask someone to teach us." I retorted, flicking the flaps up once again for George to put it around my neck.

"Good, wouldn't want the world to know that we are actually nice on a daily basis." Fred winked at us, helping Hermione put hers on.

"Nope, wouldn't want that." I shook my head, putting on the blazer.

"Where are your shoes?" Fred asked, pointing at me feet.

"They went missing." I picked up my book bag and looked around the room for Harry.

"You're friends are still in bed." George said.

I missed the look that passed between the twins.

"Do you want to wait for them?" Hermione asked.

"I do, if you want you can go ahead." I said.

"I'll keep an eye out for your shoes." She said walking out.

I pouted, I was hurt that she didn't stay. I shrugged it off though.

"We'll keep an eye out for your shoes too." Fred tapped on my shoulder.

"Thanks guys." I looked over my shoulder and smiled at them as they left the common room.

"Hey Cassie." Neville waved as he walked towards me from the boys dormitory.

"Hi Neville, are Ron and Harry up yet?" I waved back to him.

"They are, they'll be down in a minute." He said, stopping by me.

"Excited for today?" I asked.

"More nervous than anything." He admitted.

"Same, but I'm definitely excited. I haven't grown up around magic, so being able to learn about it is exciting." I explained when I saw his expression.

"Oh, that makes sense," he nodded. "Hey, where are your shoes?" He asked, pointing down to my feet.

"If it's not about my scar, it's about my shoes." I sighed.

"S-s-sorry I didn't m-m-mean to say wrong." He stuttered, his face turning red.

"No no no! I don't mean it like that I swear." I put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm s-so-sorry." He stuttered again.

"Neville, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were going to ask me that. If I had I would have said something a lot nicer. Or have kept it in my head." I added as an after-thought.

"Are y-you sure?" He asked, shyly looking at me.

"I'm positive." I smiled at him.

"Okay." He smiled back at me.

"What happened to my shoes, I don't know. I saw them last night, got ready for today, and they were gone." I shrugged as Harry and Ron finally came down the stairs.

"Hey, where are your shoes?" Ron asked, pointing at my feet.

I threw my hands up in the air and groaned, earning a laugh from Harry and Neville.

"I don't know! They were here last night and now they're gone." I explained, taking a deep breath.

"Sorry!" Ron stepped back.

"It's fine, I should have realized people are going to be asking about it, along with my scar." I shrugged, pointing to my face.

"By the way, how did you get it?" Harry asked as the four of us walked out of the dormitory and towards the Great Hall for breakfast.

"I honestly have no idea. One day I was going about my business and the next I was in a hospital with a bandage on my face." I said, trying not to go into to much detail.

"Weird, you don't remember any of it?" Ron asked.

"Yup." I said, popping the 'P.'

When we reached the hallway the whispers started.

"There, look."

"Where?"

"Next to the girl with scar on her face and the tall kid with the red hair."

"Wearing the glasses?"

"Did you see his face?"

"Did you see his scar?"

"Did you see her scar?

People were lining along the corridor to see us walk down the hallway. Neville was so nervous and embarrassed that I had to whisper to him that he wouldn't be hurting our feelings if he went ahead or walked behind us. He stuttered, again, out a thank you and hurried ahead of us. Walking down the hallway was nerve wracking.

Suddenly, it seemed like the whispering increased. Sighing I pulled my hair forward and saw that it was green but not the ugly puke green from last night, but rather a seaweed green. It was still ugly but better than before.

"Can you not do that?" Harry muttered under his breath.

I glared at him and purposefully turned my hair a bright sunny orange.

"Sorry for asking." He rolled his eyes but he had a smile.

"It's fine." I nudged him, making him stumble.

Ron rolled his eyes at us as we sat down next to his brothers.

"We haven't found your shoes yet." George said as I sat next to him.

"But we are still looking." Fred added.

"Thanks guys." I smiled, putting some jam on the toast Ron passed my way.

"Anything for a friend of our little brothers." They both said.

"I thought we didn't want to let the world know that you're actually nice." I smirked, taking a bit of the toast.

Both of the boys stuck their tongues out. I giggled while Harry and Ron looked at us.

"Cassie, I haven't found your shoes yet." Hermione said, walking up to me.

"That's alright. I'll just go barefoot for the day I guess." I shrugged, putting my toast on the plate in front of me and taking off my stockings.

"Won't your feet get cold?" Neville asked, taking a drink from his goblet.

"Probably. I don't mind. I've been through worse." I shrugged again, taking a sip of my orange juice.

"What do you mean worse?" Harry asked, finishing up his breakfast.

"Look at Potter and his friends." A voice sneered, thankfully interrupting before I had to explain about Gertrude.

"Go away Malfoy." I turned to him.

"Oh is Zwart standing up for her boyfriend?" Goyle chuckled out.

"I have a boyfriend? Who is he? Could you tell me?" I jumped up, latching onto his arm.

"Is it that boy over there? Or over there? Or maybe that one? Who is it!?" I pointed to different boys at different tables, even going as far as to point at Crabbe who backed away from me disgusted.

"Get off of me!" Goyle pushed me down.

I fell on my bottom and looked up at him, I felt the tears swimming in my eyes and sniffled. Harry and the Weasley's stood up and were about to pull out their wands when,

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" A stern voiced demanded.

"P-p-professor, Draco and his f-f-friends are being m-m-mean." I pointed to the three Slytherins who were wide eyed and attempting to back away from McGonagall.

"Ten points from Slytherin each! We do not tolerate bullying!" McGonagall pulled me to my feet.

Malfoy sneered at me, and I gave him sly smile and a wink, tears running down my cheeks.

"Ms. Zwart, where are your shoes and stockings?" McGonagall asked, a skeptical look on her face.

"I don't know h-honestly, they were on my tr-trunk when I went to bed. B-but this morning I-I-I couldn't find them." I sniffled, wiping my nose.

"Would you like me to get you a new pair?" She asked, handing the boys each a piece of paper.

"No, I'm s-sure they'll turn u-up somewhere." I blew my nose on an offered napkin from Neville.

"Well I can't have you walking around barefoot." She handed me one as well.

I'll be fine Minnie, but th-thanks anyways." I gave her a watery smile.

She gave me a peculiar look, nodded, and walked away.

"That was easier than I thought." I said, no hitch in my voice and the tears were finally gone.

"Are you alright?" George asked, putting his hands on my shoulders and turning me this way and that.

"I'm fine, I taught myself how to cry on demand when I was seven years old." I shook him off and sat back down.

"Why did you have to teach yourself how to cry on demand?" Harry asked quietly.

Looking around at all of the questioning stares I was receiving from my friends I sighed.

"Survival." I answered finally.

Standing up, I grabbed my stockings, stuffed them in my bag. Gave them all a nod and muttered, "I'll see you in class."


	12. Chapter 12

I walked out of the Great Hall with my head held up high. I was relieved that I managed to keep the worst my past a secret , but I am worried that I wouldn't be able to keep it that way for long. With my feet slapping the floor I began to skip down the hall in the direction I hoped the green houses were for Herbology. I got strange looks for skipping bare foot through the halls but I didn't hear the whispers that followed so I didn't mind.

"Cassie?" Stefanie's voice called to me.

"Hmm?" I paused in the hallway, turning around to the see the seventh year to my left.

"What are you doing barefoot?" She asked me.

"I couldn't find my shoes." I shrugged as I walked over to her.

"Do you need a pair of shoes?" One of the boys she was with asked, already unlacing his shoes.

"No, but thank you." I smiled kindly to him, putting a hand on his arm to stop him.

"What's wrong with your face?" A tall boy asked, crossing his arms and looking down at me.

"It's called a scar, I woke up with it one morning." I glared at him, also crossing my arms.

"Hector be nice." Stefanie nudged him with her elbow.

"My name's Cedric Diggory." The boy who offered me his shoes held his hand out to me.

"Cassie Zwart." I shook it, giving him a smile.

"Are you lost, Cassie?" He asked, lacing his shoes.

"I don't think so. I'm looking for the green houses." I held my piece of paper out to him.

McGonagall tapped it and my schedule had showed up when she handed it to me.

"Oh that's behind the school. I can take you there, I have a free period." Stefanie said, taking a look at the time table.

"I would really appreciate it." I smiled at her.

"Smiling makes your face uglier than normal." Hector stated, sniffing at me.

Stefanie gasped and slapped his face. I could only stare at him.

"You can consider whatever we had going on, done." Stefanie snarled.

I was in to much shock to fight her as she led me away from him.

"I'm ugly?" I asked quietly.

"Cassie. Don't you dare listen to him. He doesn't know what he's talking about." She gripped my arm as we walked out to the side of Hogwarts.

I touched my scar, not believing her.

"Is it fine that I'm here? I mean, things were better at Charlotte's." I whispered to myself.

Stefanie stopped our journey and kneeled in front of me.

"The first week is always the hardest." Stefanie put a finger under my chin and raised my head to look at her brown eyes.

"But-" I started.

"Hector is just one person in school of so many others. You're friends with Harry Potter for goodness sake! Shouldn't that say something about your life here?" She smiled at me.

I couldn't bring myself to smile back, I was taking Hector's comment to hard. Stefanie seemed to notice because she gave me a hug.

"You are beautiful Cassiopeia." She whispered in my ear.

I hugged her back, and I'm sure she felt my nod.

"Chin up, I won't let him bother you again." She pulled away and nudged me to the green houses.

"Thank you Stefanie." I tried to smile to her.

She nodded as I walked on the soft grass to my class. Walking in, I saw Neville already there and he was waving to me. Taking my first step into the green house, I shivered at the cold water under my feet. The sensational was quickly forgotten when I took a look around me. There was green everywhere, potted plants were hanging from the ceiling and vines were attaching them. Flowers with hues of purple, pink, blue, yellow, orange, and so many others lined the walls. In the center of the room was one long table, it was wide enough though to fit many pots on it though.

Walking over to Neville I felt the wet soil that had fallen to the ground, it wasn't unpleasant. But the feeling could grow on me, I guess. Neville moved over for me to stand next to him. First year Hufflepuff's came in after me; the green house began to fill up. Harry and Ron came scrambling in, Neville and I moved over for them to stand next to us while a small plump woman came in with a smile on her face.

"Hello first years! Welcome to Green House One, today you will be learning what properties the plant Foxglove has. Get your parchment and take notes!" She came in and started pointing her wand at a purple flower in the shape of a bell.

"It's a pretty color." I stated, focusing on the color and I knew I succeed when I heard a gasp from the girl across from me.

I grinned up to Susan the girl in Hufflepuff, she blushed and looked away. I felt a slight tug on the back of my hair and when I turned I saw that Neville was looking at my hair in his hand.

"Do you see how it changes?" I whispered, not wanting to let Sprout know that we were talking about my hair and not the assignment.

"S-so-sorry!" Neville stuttered, jumping a meter in the air.

"Is something the matter back there Mr. Longbottom?" Sprout's voice called from the front of the house.

"No! No! Um, uhhh..." Neville stuttered.

"He was apologizing because we missed the last thing you said and he was trying to ask if you could repeat that." I lied to her, sending Neville a friendly wink.

He blushed a deep red and gave a hesitant nod.

"If I'm speaking to fast don't be afraid to say something then." Sprout smiled at us.

Smiling back at her and then at Neville, we finally took notes. Looking at Ron's his were messy, and Harry just looked confused at everything. Hermione was scribbling down everything Sprout said as fast as she could keep up. Neville's notes were impressive, they were organized and labeled and everything my parchment wasn't.

Every now and then I would interrupt Professor Sprout and have her repeat some stuff because I honestly would miss it, but also to keep the boys from being embarrassed for asking. Hermione and I earned about thirty points all together in this one class. Me mostly for 'not being afraid to ask questions' and Hermione 'for being prepared and then some.'

Neville had an incredible knack for Herbology, he even earned us five points for planting the Foxglove seeds perfectly in his plant! He ended up helping me and we both earned a point each. Me for not being afraid to ask for help and him for being nice and helping me. We were quite happy when we walked out, Ron and Harry patted Neville on the back and his turned red but he was happy.

"Hey scar face!" Hector's voice called out.

I stiffened up but turned to face him.

"Yes?" I asked.

"You ruined my relationship with Stefanie." He snarled at me.

"You ruined it yourself. Besides I knew Stefanie first." I shrugged, trying to look like I was calm.

"She was mine! I was going to ask her to Hogsmeade the weekend we were allowed but your ugly face showed up and ruined everything!" He stood over me.

I'm sure it was my imagination but he seemed to get bigger.

"Leave her alone." Harry pulled me away and behind him.

"And who are you?" Hector turned his sights on Harry, anger flashing in his eyes.

"I'm Harry Potter." He stated.

"H-H-H-Harry P-P-P-Po-Potter?" He stuttered, actually taking a few steps back.

"What is going on out here?" Professor Sprout demanded from behind me.

"Professor Sprout! This girl intentionally ruined what could have been the most spectacular relationship to happen to me!" Hector pointed a finger to me.

"Professor?" I asked timidly.

"Yes Zwart?" She turned to face me.

"He called me ugly." I whispered.

"FIFTY POINTS FROM HUFFLEPUFF! I WILL NOT EXCUSE BULLYING! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL A STUDENT THEY ARE UGLY! I AM TAKING YOU STRAIGHT TO ALBUS!" Professor Sprout was screaming and even though she was much shorter than Hector, she had a hold of his ear and was dragging him after her.

"That was exciting." Harry deadpanned.

"Cassiopeia dear, would you come with me? I think Albus should hear your side as well." Sprout turned around at the door to the school.

"Looks like I better go." I slumped.

"We'll see you in Charms?" Ron said, patting my shoulder awkwardly.

"Oh Defense Against the Dark Arts." Harry shrugged.

"I'll see you later." I nodded, giving them a wave.

Neville had to be lead by Harry and Ron he was so dumbfounded and shocked that his face was like a fish. I gave a quiet giggle and followed Sprout through the halls getting looks from the other students. I was walking with my head held high and was starting to get nervous when we got closer.

"Cassiopeia, where are your shoes?" Sprout asked.

"I lost them." I shrugged.

"Would like me to get you a new pair of shoes?" She asked me, walking towards a gargoyle statue.

"No it's fine, I like being barefoot anyways." I gave her a small smile.

"Well if you need shoes before winter sets in, don't be afraid to ask." She smiled as we paused in front of the statue.

"Mars Bars." Sprout said, and the gargoyle stepped to the side to reveal a staircase.

"I love this school." I whispered, earning a chuckle from Sprout as we walked up the staircase.

It seemed to take us forever to get the staircase and to a huge wooden door. Sprout knocked and we heard an "enter" so we did. I gaped at the many books and knick knacks around the room. There were even portraits of people on the walls. Some of them were sleeping, but I'm pretty sure several of them opened an eye to see who we were; before going back to sleep.

"Ah, Pomona what a lovely surprise!" Dumbledore said from his seat.

There was a beautiful bird behind him. It had red feathers and beady black eyes.

"That's a phoenix."

"Yes, yes it is. This is Fawkes." Dumbledore chuckled.

I blushed and I know my hair turned pink at that. I didn't realize I said that aloud.

"Albus, Hector Smith here was bullying miss Cassiopeia Zwart." Professor Sprout pulled Hector forward.

"Really? Mr. Smith, why would you do such a thing?" Dumbledore asked, gesturing to me to have a seat on the chair that wasn't there before.

I offered it to Professor Sprout who gave me a smile and sat on it. I chose to sit on the floor at her feet. Everyone gave me a strange look but Hector quickly turned back to glaring at me.

"Sir, I was going to ask Stefanie Glazer to go with me to the upcoming Hogsmeade trip but Zwart," he said my last name with so much malice that I actually flinched. "Showed up and ruined any chances I had with her."

"Ms. Zwart?" Dumbledore looked to me from across his desk, his twinkling blue eyes looking over his half-moon spectacles.

"Stefanie was asking me where my shoes went. Cedric Diggory offered his shoes to me, he's a nice boy, and Stefanie asked me where I was headed when Hector asked what happened to my face. I answered as Stefanie elbowed him and told him to be nice. Cedric formally introduced himself as Stefanie was looking at scheldule and offered to take me to the green houses for Herbology since she had a free period. When I smiled to her Hector said that smiling makes my face uglier," that earned a gasp from Sprout and she put her calloused on my shoulder.

"Stefanie slapped him and told him that whatever they had going on he could consider it done and stormed with me out to the yard. I was heartbroken that someone would say I was ugly so Stefanie tried to comfort me but it didn't really work. When I got into Green House One, Neville Longbottom had saved me a spot and we waved Harry Potter and Ron Weasley over to where we were and Nevillie helped me and I helped Harry and Ron."

I took a breath.

"When we left Harry, Ron and I were patting Neville on the back because he had earned us some points on the first day of classes and we were proud of him. During that time Hector called me 'Scarface' and started going off about how I ruined his plans to ask Stefanie to Hogsmeade," Sprout's hand tightened on my shoulder but relaxed soon enough.

"He called me ugly face and Harry stepped in. He stood up for me and when Hector tried to back away Professor Sprout came and when we told her the situation she took fifty points from Hufflepuff and brought us both here." I finished, my voice breaking several times but I did not let the tears fall.

"I see..." Dumbledore nodded, looking at me for an uncomfortable amount of time.

I held his stare. He was blurry for a while but my tears finally dried up before they could spill. He then turned to Hector who started to fidget even before Dumbledore looked at him.

"I will be taking an addition twenty points from Hufflepuff," Hector's head shot up and rage was in his eyes as he opened his mouth.

"For you to learn that not only do actions, but words also have consequences," Dumbledore continued, raising a hand to stop him.

Hector shut his mouth but he was still glaring.

"You will also have a weeks worth of detention with Mr. Filch and you are banned from the first two Hogsmeade trips." Dumbledore finished.

"Yes sir." Hector nodded and turned around to leave.

"If I hear that you have bullied Ms. Zwart or anyone else, I will have no choice but to expel you." Dumbledore said softly.

Hector gave a stiff nod and walked out of the office. Professor Sprout patted my shoulder and stood up.

"Would you like to stay Ponoma?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"Thank you Albus, but I must get back to my class. I didn't ask anyone to cover for me." She smiled before waddling out of the room.

I stood up and gave my legs a little shake.

"Ms. Zwart, would you like some tea?" He offered, when I looked at the desk there was a pot and two tea cups with a bowl of sugar cubes and a little pitcher of milk.

"Oh please?" I asked, sitting into the chair as it moved forward.

"How many sugars?" He asked, waving his wand to the tea pot.

"One sugar, and some milk please." I requested, settling down and pulling my feet into the chair.

I pulled my skirt over so that he wouldn't see anything inappropriate.

"You seem to have a knack for attracting bullies." He stated, mixing my tea as I requested.

"I noticed." I nodded, accepting the teacup and saucer as they floated to me.

"Any idea why?" He made his own cup of tea.

"Maybe because of this," I gestured to my scar. "Or maybe my ability to do this." I shrugged changing my skin color to a purple color and then back to my tan complexion.

Dumbledore chuckled as he took a sip of his tea. I smiled and took a sip of my own.

"I do apologize that your first day has not started out to well. I would like to promise that it would get better, but even I cannot see into the future." He said after a moment of silence.

"It's not your fault, you can't handle every little thing your students do." I shrugged.

"You have an understanding of the world that you shouldn't have." He raised an eyebrow at me.

"When you get bullied as you grow up, you begin to realize just how the world works." I finished off my tea in a gulp.

Dumbledore gave a solemn nod and waved to the tea pot with his hand.

"No thanks, but thank you." I let go of the saucer and the teacup and watched as they floated to the little tray.

"I'm going to reward Gryffindor twenty points." Dumbledore said as soon as he finished his own tea.

"Why?" I asked, tilting my head.

"You were brave enough to tell me the truth. And you should be awarded for it." His eyes twinkled.

"Thank you sir." I nodded, a small grin on my face.

He nodded and we sat there in a comfortable silence for awhile.

"May I ask you a question?" I asked, putting my feet on the ground.

"You may." He nodded, sitting back in his seat.

"Do you know who my father is?"


	13. Chapter 13

Dumbledore and I stared at each other for a long time.

"I do know, your mother, Karen made me swear not to tell you until the time was right though." He finally answered.

I gave an angry sigh.

"I'm sorry I can't tell you more than that." He apologized.

"It's okay, I guess." I shrugged, slumping back into the chair.

"Is there anything else you wish to ask or know?" He asked after another pause.

"No. Not at the moment." I shrugged standing up.

"May I recommend something?" He asked as I picked up my book bag.

"You may." I smiled.

"Don't take what Mr. Smith to heart." He said, also giving me a smile.

"Kind of hard not to when his words are still echoing in my head." I shrugged and walked to the door.

"That I cannot fix, but you can. Perhaps a morning ritual before facing the world?" His voice called out to me.

"I'll give it a try." I smiled to him.

Leaving the room was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Walking down the staircase I took a lot of deep breaths to calm my heart. My eyes were stinging with tears that wanted to let go, but I wouldn't let them. There's a difference between acting vulnerable and then being actually vulnerable.

I never wanted to be vulnerable again.

"I need to find out what time it is, and find my class." I said out loud to distract myself.

Walking down the hallway away from Dumbledore's office it got harder for me to keep going. Sighing I turned the corner and sat against the wall. I decided not to go looking for Charms so I pulled out my Herbology notes. Looking over them I saw that they weren't exactly organized, so I pulled out my ink bottle and quill (the coolest things to write with in my opinion) I began to number my notes in the order I wanted them to be. I knew I was going to need another piece of parchment for this and it would be a waste of my time, but I'm sure I'll be patting myself on the back for when the exams come around.

I was concentrating on my notes when I heard a meow from my right. Looking in that direction I saw Ariel leading the Weasley Twins my way. Smiling brightly I put my stuff away and leapt up. Ariel jumped into my arms and was purring as she rubbed her head against my cheek.

"Your cat is a pain in our arse." George crossed his arms.

"Yeah, but she's cute." I grinned at them.

George nodded before smiling back at me.

"How did you find me?" I asked.

"We were in the common room when she started carrying on by the door." George sighed.

"I pushed the door for her, but when she went out she looked back at me and sat down." Fred added.

"It took us awhile but I think she wanted us to follow you." George shrugged.

"Oh, well thank you." I rubbed my face against Ariel's head.

"So what are you doing all the way up here by Dumbledore's office?" Fred asked as we began walking the way we came.

"I was escorted by Sprout." I shrugged.

"What did you do? Hex the plants to attack her? Push someone into a Devil's Snare?" Fred started asking.

"I was standing up for myself." I responded.

"Against who?" George stopped and was looking at me with curiosity.

"I'm not telling you. You'll do something horrible to him and it won't make things better." I answered, walking past the twins.

"Well will you tell us what happened?" George asked.

"Nope." I popped the 'p.'

"You're no fun." Fred pouted.

"I'm loads of fun. Just not when it comes to personal stuff." I answered, sticking my tongue out at him.

"Whatever you say." Fred rolled his eyes.

"Could you guys take me to the Charms classroom please?" I quickly asked before they could pester me some more.

"We could-" George started.

"But for a price." Fred finished.

"I knew it." I grumbled.

"We'll take you to Charms-"

"If you tell us what this person said." Fred and George said, jumping in front of me with their arms crossed.

Groaning I walked away.

"I thought we were going to show you to your classroom?" Fred called, running after me with George.

"Not for that price. No deal." I smirked.

"Oh come on!" George whined.

I started to skip away and I heard them growl behind me. I dropped Ariel and started to run. I heard their feet start slapping the ground. I was giggling as we were running through the halls. We got several confused looks from the few students but they just kept going on their way.

"You won't be able to get away from us!" Fred howled after me.

I giggled at that threat but that didn't stop me from running. Since I was barefoot I had a better grip on the ground than the two boys. I could hear them slipping every turn we made. After one particular sharp turn I heard them crash into the wall. Looking back I saw that they were tangled up and so I paused to catch my breath. Once they finally got up they were both out of breath as well.

"Ready to give up?" I asked.

They looked at each other and even though I didn't see anything I knew that they had given a signal because they suddenly took off towards me. Giving a shriek I turned and started to run away but they were suddenly next to me. I was scared that they were actually going to get me for a minute but there was a bunch of students who came out of the a classroom.

"Watch out!" I shouted.

I managed to stop, but the twins? They had shoes on while I didn't. They slid right into the crowd of students. The effect was beautiful; everyone fell over like dominoes. I had to put a hand on my mouth I was giggling so much.

"Fred, George! Get off of me!" Ron's voice sounded through the many boys.

Still giggling, I walked over and started to help my fellow classmates up. Several of them were already up and sneering at me but I ignored them.

"Are you alright Neville?" I asked the chubby boy as I held a hand down for him.

"I'm fine, just a little fall right?" He accepted my hand and started to help pick up everyone else.

"What was that all about?" Harry asked when everyone was on their feet and walking towards their next class.

"Gred, and Feorge were chasing me." I answered, smiling at the two.

"We were trying to get information out of her, but she managed to outwit us as we were running." Fred reluctantly admitted.

"How'd you manage to do that?" Ron turned to gape at me.

"No shoes." I smiled brightly, pointing to my feet.

"Seriously?" Harry asked.

"They were sliding because they didn't have the grip on the floor like I did." I explained as the classroom door opened again.

"Ah, Ms. Zwart I presume?" A small squeaky voice called up.

Looking down I saw a little man with white hair and a matching beard.

"Yes?" I answered.

"Mr. Potter," he squeaked, "and Mr. Weasley told me that you were with Professor Dumbledore during my class period."

"Yes, I was. I'm sorry I missed your first class but I promise I'll have the notes and homework completed by next class." I nodded to him.

"Oh good, good. Do try and not make this a habit of missing my class." He winked at me as he turned around to walk back into his class.

"I thought I was going to be in trouble for a minute there." I admitted as Fred and George waved good-bye and left us.

"No, but what about that guy from earlier? What happened?" Ron asked as we started walking.

"He got into a lot of trouble, but he shouldn't be bothering me again." I answered.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked as we turned a corner.

"Yeah, Dumbledore threatened to expel him if he was caught bullying me or anyone else." I nodded as we found the DADA room.

"You told Dumbledore everything?" Ron put his book bag on the table we chose to sit at.

"Yes. I earned twenty points for being honest." I added, sitting down and crossing my legs as best as I could on the narrow bench.

"Wow..." Harry and Ron said.

"Yup. Does it smell like garlic to you guys?" I asked, changing the subject.

They both sniffed the air.

"Why does it smell like garlic?" A dark skinned boy asked as he sat at the table across the aisle.

"I don't know." Everyone in the classroom answered.

Everyone chuckled at that and went back to their small side conversations.

"What did I miss in Charms?" I turned around to see Harry and Ron.

"Everything! We had to take notes about the swish and flick movement of our wrist and practice it for our next lesson." Hermione's voice sniffed as she sat next to me.

"Well... Can I copy your notes then?" I asked as I watch Ron roll his eyes at her.

"Just this once." She grumbled as Professor Quirrell came in with his eyes shifting all around the room.

* * *

The class was quite boring. He had us taking notes as he told us who he received his turban from an African Prince for taking care of a zombie. When Seamus (the sandy blonde boy) eagerly asked how he did it, Quirrell cleared his throat and started talking about a vampire he met in Romania.

That's all we did. Was take notes and listen to him drone about his explorations and triumphs. The class couldn't end soon enough, so when it was dismissed I was the first one out of the door.

Hermione was the last one out the classroom for some reason... But I ended up walking with Harry and Ron to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Cassiopeia!" I heard a voice call to me.

Looking around I saw Cedric waving to me from the Hufflepuff table.

"I'll see you guys later." I tapped my friends arms and skipped over to Cedric.

"Is it true you made the Weasley twins trip and knock everyone down from Charms?" He asked when I made it to him.

"Is that what everyone's saying? No they were chasing me and they slid into the crowd. I didn't have my shoes on and so I managed to stop before I could get to the crowd." I sat down with my back to the table, facing Cedric.

"I heard you cast a spell on the boys to make them fall." Someone accused me from the table.

"I don't know any spells. I was with Dumbledore when Charms started and ended." I shrugged as I turned around to properly sit at the table.

"Really? That's boring." Another person pouted.

"Don't believe everything you hear." I pointed at them.

"Like the rumor going around that you made that scar for attention." A third person piped up.

"Yup, I totally took a knife and carved my face for attention." I said sarcastically.

"I think we should leave her alone." Cedric stood up and picked me up from my spot.

"You Hufflepuff's aren't very nice." I told him as he lead me to the Gryffindor table.

"What do you mean?" He asked, scrunching his eyebrows in confusion.

"Never mind." I sighed as we got to my table.

"Thank you for getting me out of there." I smiled at him.

"You're welcome." He smiled back before returning to the Hufflepuff table.

"Who's that?" Harry asked, offering me a sandwich.

"Cedric Diggory, he offered me his shoes this morning." I answered, accepting the sandwich with a nod.

"He's so handsome." A third year sighed.

"I'm eleven. He's just a friend." I said in disgust.

"You just wait until you're older. You'll see it then." She pointed a finger at me before leaving with her friends.

"Ew, boys." I shuddered, taking a bite of my food.

"Hey!" Ron exclaimed, looking up from his plate full of food.

"Like you don't think we girls are gross." I said to him with a mouthful of food.

"Yeah, you're right." He grumbled and went back to his food.

"What's next?" Harry asked.

"Um, double History of Magic with the Ravenclaws." I answered.

"Yay, history." Harry responded.

"Yup." I popped the 'p.'


	14. Chapter 14

As soon as we were done with lunch, Ron, Harry, and I asked around to find the History of Magic room. A sixth year Hufflepuff pointed us in the right direction.

"How much time do we have to spare?" I asked as we made it into the classroom.

"No time." Harry whispered as the door closed.

"Great." I whined, dropping my head on the table with a thunk.

"Welcome to History of Magic." A monotone voice droned.

Looking up, I was quite shocked to see that our Professor was a ghost.

"My name is Professor Binns, and yes I am aware that I am ghost." He drawled.

Taking my parchment I wrote in the corner, '_great, this is going to be boring.'_

Harry and Ron both snickered.

The two hour long class seemed to go on forever. I was actually sleeping when Harry shook me awake a couple of times. The boys and I tried to play tic tac toe on our separate parchments but I was so bored and warm between the two boys that I just gave up and slept. It was a wonderful nap I woke up from when we were finally excused from it.

"Free at last from that ghostly prison!" I shouted as soon as we were outside of the prison.

I received laughter from everyone who heard me.

"Now what?" Harry asked.

Taking out our timetables we discovered that we were free until dinner.

"To the common room then?" I asked.

"I guess." Ron shrugged.

We walked all the way to common room. It was a long way from History of Magic to the tower. Neville, Seamus, and Dean (Seamus' dark skinned friend) joined us along the way. When we finally reached the Fat Lady we were all in stitches from telling stories to each other.

"Caput Draconis." I gave the portrait our password.

The Fat Lady nodded and we went inside. I saw that Hermione was already sitting at a table with all of her homework spread out. There were other students around but I didn't know their names or years.

"Hermione!" I skipped over to her.

"Yes Cassie?" She looked up from her paper.

"I need the Charms notes." I held my hand out to her.

"Right, just this once okay?" She started checking the different parchments for the Charms notes I needed.

"Why don't you use mine?" Harry asked, holding out his Charms notes.

"No offense Harry, but I want to see everything I missed." I said, holding out Hermione's notes that were neatly organized into quotes and sections that Flitwick had said.

"Oh... I see..." He said, slowly putting his notes away.

I nodded and sat down in front of the fireplace with my back to the couch. Placing Hermione's notes on the ground next to me, I took out a parchment and labeled the top

_'Charms September 2, 1991'_

I started coping Hermione's notes. It took me over an hour to get everything down, my hand was crapping so bad I had to take ten minutes to stretch it out.

"Thank you Hermione." I stood up to return her notes.

"You're welcome." She said, still looking at her homework but taking the notes from me.

I nodded as well and walked back to my spot in front of the fireplace. Sitting down, I pulled out another parchment and began writing a letter.

_Charlotte,_

_I got sorted into Gryffindor! I'm settling in really well as well. I have owned at least fifty points my first day here. I haven't gotten into Transfiguration yet, but I'm looking forward to it. Charms was fun as well. Quirrell, who teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts, doesn't seem all that grand. He talked about his journey to Romania but nothing else. He also smells like garlic..._

_I made new friends! Harry Potter and Ron Weasley are so far my best friends. Hermione Granger is one of my dorm mates, I don't know the other two girls yet but I don't think like me very much. I'm also friends with Fred and George Weasley, they're twins. Neville Longbottom is a nice guy as well. He helped me in Herbology._

_Stefanie has also been nice. She showed me to my Herbology class as well. I hope everything is going alright in London. Do write back soon!_

_-Cassie_

"Fred, George, do you either of you have an envelope for letters?" I asked the twins as they sat on the couch.

"Not on us." They answered.

"Oh okay." I shrugged and pulled out another parchment while Charlotte's letter dried.

_Ginny,_

_Remember me? I wanted to write and let you know that you're not forgotten by me. I got into Gryffindor with your brothers! So far they seem really nice. Ron and I are getting to be real good friends as well. I'm also friends with a boy named Harry Potter. Everyone seems to be awed by him, something about his scar? I don't understand what's so special about his scar besides the fact that it's in the shape of a lightning bolt. _

_What do you want for Christmas by the way? I know it's a long while away but since I'm going to stay here for Christmas I may as well get started on Christmas shopping. Do you know what Ron, Percy, and the twins would like as well? I don't want them to feel left out._

_Write back soon!_

_Cassie_

"Awe, you're getting us something for Christmas?" George rubbed his knuckles against my head.

"I'm planning on it." I waved his hand away as I folded Charlotte's letter into thirds and let Ginny's dry.

"What about Harry?" Fred asked.

"I don't know yet, I think I'll ask him when I next see him." I shrugged.

"I don't think you can get Percy anything, he's already over the moon with being a prefect." George sat back with a huff.

"Well it doesn't hurt to try." I replied, moving to sit in between them.

We sat there in a comfortable silence for a long time.

"I have a question." Fred suddenly piped up.

"Shoot." I turned to him.

"You're a metmorphmagus right?" He asked.

"I guess, Hermione said I am." I pointed over my shoulder towards the bushy hair girl, who was still sitting at the table.

"You can change your hair, and skin and complete being right?" George added.

"Yes." I nodded, confused.

"Why don't you morph your scar away?" They both asked.


	15. Chapter 15

I blinked at the twins.

"Sorry?" I shook my head.

"Morph your scar away, you know?" Fred repeated.

I took a few minutes to think about it.

"We didn't mean to offend you, we were just curious." George stood up to walk away.

"No no you didn't offend me. I just need to put my thoughts into words." I grabbed his arm before he could go to far.

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to." Fred also stood up.

"Would you two sit down." I snapped, pulling George back down and glaring at Fred.

He sat down as well and I noticed that the common room has gone quiet. I stood up to see that everyone was looking at me.

"Are you guys wondering the same thing?" I asked.

I received nods and several yes's as well. Nodding at that I rubbed my forehead.

"If there's anyone upstairs in their dormitories you may as well get them." I sighed, crossing my arms.

A girl ran up the girls dormitory and a boy up to the boys. I only had to wait five minutes before the entire of Gryffindor House was in the common room.

"For those who don't know, I was asked as why I didn't change my face like I change my hair." I demonstrated by changing my hair to the Gryffindor red with gold stripes.

Several people nodded.

"It's the scar doesn't make me who I am. I make me myself by wearing the scar. By hiding it I'm not being true to myself. It's a part of who I am. Even though I can change it, I don't want to..." I trailed off at the end.

"But why not?" A voice asked from the crowd.

"Because I don't want to be afraid of showing who I am." I rolled my eyes.

I heard mutterings from around the room.

"She wouldn't be a real Gryffindor then." Fred stood up and put an arm around my shoulders.

That earned a few cheers from the older students. Several them sent me a thumbs up before returning back to whatever they were doing. I sat back down between the twins with my hair turning pink.

"Why did you tell all of the Gryffindor tower?" George asked once conversations started back up.

"I know you weren't the only one's who were curious." I shrugged.

We sat on the couch in a comfortable silence after that. I started to doze off when four paws jumped onto my lap. Opening one eye I saw that Ariel was looking at me with a happy look to her face.

"Is that... a mouse?" Fred asked.

"Oh you're such a good cat. Bringing me a mouse." I said with fake enthusiasm.

Ariel purred and dropped the dead mouse onto my lap. I cringed while Fred and George stood up and got away from it.

"Thanks." I picked up the thing by its tail.

Ariel meowed and left me to trot up the stairs. Making sure she couldn't see me I threw the mouse into the fire.

"Want some roasted mouse?" I asked.

"No thanks." Ron's voice said from behind.

"Where'd you guys go?" I turned around to see Harry and Ron both looking disgusted at the smell of the dead mouse.

"To our dormitory for homework." Harry said, moving to sit on the couch.

"You left me down here all by myself." I pouted, sitting on the floor in front of him.

"You could have come up." Ron shrugged, sitting next to Harry.

"I wasn't invited." I rolled my eyes.

They both sighed as I turned around to put my back to the couch and my feet towards the fire.

"How are your feet?" Harry asked, leaning over to point at them.

"They're fine, today wasn't that bad actually." I answered, wiggling my toes.

"When do you think dinner is?" Ron piped up.

"Should be in about half an hour." Hermione's voice said from her corner of the room.

Ron sneered at her for that remark, I rolled my eyes at him.

"Thanks." Harry said, giving her a polite nod.

* * *

Dinner came and went quickly. The next day Harry let me borrow Hedwig so that I could send my letters. Hedwig gave my fingers a nip and I promised to have an owl treat or two for her when she came back.

The week went by fast. Friday was the worst day that I thought I was looking forward too. Hagrid had wrote Harry and invited him and Ron and I to have tea with him that afternoon. Excited, I skipped to our first class. We had Transfiguration first and even though I was excited for it, all we did was take notes.

The moment we were all seated and quiet she started telling us,

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

We were all amazed when she turned her desk into a pig and then back into her desk. I was so excited to try that, that when she had us write notes about how to transform a match into a needle, I was crushed. But I discovered I had a knack for this when I managed to turn my match into a perfect needle the first time.

I spent the rest of the class period squinting at it and changing it from a needle back to match every now and then trying to figure out how I did it. McGonagall was watching me and rewarded me five points and Hermione (who managed to get it by the end of class) and I were both rewarded with a rare smile.

Potions was even worse...

Snape was taking roll and when he got to Harry's name he sneered, "Ah, Harry Potter - Our new _celebrity."_

"Who was the old celebrity?" I whispered to Ron.

"Five points from Gryffindor for speaking out of turn." Snape snapped.

I looked around the room to 'find the Gryffindor' but I think Snape knew it was me because when I looked back he was glaring at me. He finally finished the roll call and stood there facing us. He had a cold stare in his black eyes.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can even teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." He drawled out his speech.

Looking around I saw that Hermione was on the edge of seat with determination set in her posture.

"Potter!" I jumped when Snape spat out at Harry. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

I gaped at him, looking at Harry he was as dumbfounded as I was. Looking at me I shrugged and shook my head, he wouldn't be getting help from me sadly. Hermione had her hand up in the arm though.

"I don't know, sir." Harry finally answered.

"Tut, tut. Fame clearly isn't everything." He sneered.

Hermione's hand was ignored even though I know he saw it.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Snape's sneer was going to be forever etched in his face at this point.

"Bezoar?" I mouthed to Harry when he looked at me.

"I don't know sir." Harry sighed.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming Potter?" I glared at the sneering face and bit the side of my mouth.

The back of Harry's neck was starting to turn red and I'm positive my hair was red. Hermione was standing up with her hand up high. She was extremely eager to answer Snape's questions.

"What is the difference, Zwart," I was surprised that he turned to me instead of Harry. "Between monkswood and wolfsbane?"

Hermione stood up on her toes, giving her a hand a wave.

"Sir, instead of being a bully. Why don't you ask the class and let someone like Hermione answer since Harry and I clearly don't know due to the fact that we never received a syllabus for this class about pop quizzes." I folded my hands neatly on the table, holding Snape's stare as everyone gasped in the class.

"Five points from Gryffindor, and detention Zwart tonight at six." His hooked nose gave a twitch before turning back to Harry.

"Sit down." He snapped at Hermione who sat back down dejectedly.

"For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of the Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from mot potions. As for monkswood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Are you writing this down Zwart?" He asked, poison dripping from his words.

"Nope." I popped the 'p' before taking out my quill.

"A point from Gryffindor then." Snape had a shadow of a smirk on his face as there was a scramble for parchment and paper.

Things didn't look up after that... He had a vendetta against Harry and I for some reason. We were separated when we started a simple potion to cure boils. Dean was my partner and Harry was lucky enough to have Ron as his partner. Dean and I were helping each other out. I was reading the directions aloud and between the two of us we managed to measure the right amount of ingredients.

We would switch roles every now and then because I also wanted the experience of mixing a potion. As I was taking the cauldron off the fire there was an explosion next to me, flinching my arm up I felt a warm splatter on my arm and when I felt safe to look I peeked and saw that Neville had managed to melt Seamus' cauldron into a blob.

I felt a pulling on the back of my robes and saw that Dean was trying frantically to get me on the stool he was just sitting on. Looking down I saw the potion moving quickly on the floor so I accepted his help and hopped on the stool as Dean quickly sat on the desk, pulling his feet and robes off the ground so as not to get my bare feet touched by it.

"Thanks." I whispered a little breathless.

"Don't mention it." Dean whispered back.

"Idiot boy!" Snape snarled, waving his wand and clearing the potion away with a flick of his wand.

Dean got down and helped me down as well, giving him a nod of thanks I saw that Neville was starting to get boils on his face.

"I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" Snape asked, turning to the trembling boy.

Neville whimpered in response.

"Take him to the Hospital Wing." Snape spat at Seamus who quickly escorted Neville out of the classroom.

"Potter - Zwart - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's two points you've lost from Gryffindor."

Dean had to hold me back as my turned to red again.

Harry opened his mouth to argue when Ron muttered, "don't push it."

We were finally climbing out of dungeon a long hour later. Harry had his head down and I was still mad.

"At least you don't have detention." I nudged him as we walked.

"No, but he hates us for some reason." Harry sighed in response.

We walked out towards Hagrid's hut. It had a homey look it, even with the crossbow and a pair of galoshes outside the front door. Seeing my hair turn back to brown I smiled as Ron knocked on the door.

There was booming barks from inside and Hagrid's voice saying, "back, Fang, back."

The door opened and Hagrid's hairy face appeared in the crack.

"Hang on. Back Fang!" He let us in as he was struggling to hold onto an enormous black dog.

Looking around I saw that his house was one massive room, pots and pans were hanging from the ceiling, a kettle was on the fire and in the corner a bed with a patchwork quilt. My interest peaked, I stepped lightly on the wooden floor to the bed to finger the quilt. I didn't want to get splinters in my feet.

"Make yerselves at home." Hagrid said.

Turning around I saw him let go Fang and Fang bound over to Ron and began licking his ears. I giggled as I sat in a chair Harry offered me. I nodded to him.

"This is Ron." Harry said, sitting down next to me.

"Another Weasley? I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest." Hagrid said, glancing at Ron and putting some lumps on a plate while pouring boiling water into a teapot.

I accepted the huge teacup with a grin and dipped one of the lumps into the tea in hopes of softening it up before eating it. It was good, just hard and dry. Harry and Ron were telling Hagrid about our first week of lessons as Fang put his head on my lap and drooled all over my robes. I would scratch his ears and earn a tail thump every time I did.

I didn't return to the conversation until I heard Hagrid ask Ron about his older brother Charlie. Looking up from Fang I saw Harry looking over a Daily Prophet article. Slowly turning it so that I could read it as well I was surprised at the article.

**_Gringotts Break-In Latest_**

_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied that same day.  
"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon._

"Hagrid!" Harry piped up.

"That Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!" I looked at Hagrid and was suspicious as to why he wouldn't look any of us in the eyes.

Harry leaned back in thought and I went back to scratching Fang's ears. Looking at Harry, he glanced at me and gave a small nod that I'm not sure if I saw it right. Checking the time I leapt up.

"I didn't realize we spent so much time here! I'm sorry Hagrid, I have detention to go to." I waved to them as Fang gave a whine.

Running out of the hut I sprinted for the castle. I was not going to be late for detention with Snape! It was five forty-three according to Hargrid's clock and I didn't know how long it would take me to get to the dungeons.

"Out of the way!" I shouted.

My feet slapping the floor I ran through the corridors. Students jumped out of the way and some shouted at me to slow down but I ignored them. Giving a grimace I jumped down stairs and landed hard on my feet. Trying an idea, the next staircase I had to jump down I followed through by dropping and rolling as I got back to my feet I was relieved to feel no pain in my feet or knees.

Finally making it to the dungeon I hope in time I gasped for breath as I knocked on the door.

"Enter, Ms. Zwart." Snape's voice echoed through the chamber.

Stepping into his office I was slowing down my breath.

"You are... on time." He wrinkled his nose as he looked at a watch on his wrist.

"Oh go-good." I managed to say through my heavy breathing.

He raised an eyebrow at me before sweeping off to a door on the side of the room.

"You will be organizing these ingredients in alphabetical order." Snape said, opening the door and stepping into the room.

Not wanting to get into a small space with my teacher, I stood outside the room looking in and nodding.

"Your detention will end when I say it is." He sniffed and left the room to sit back at his desk.

"Yes, sir." I sighed looking at the all of the different sized bottles.

Pushing up my sleeves I got to work. Using the ladder I found the majority of the bottles that began with 'A' and organized those on the left side of the upper shelf. Continuing I didn't pay attention to the time, Snape appeared in the door way and gave a stiff but satisfied nod as I finished up at the 'F' section.

"You may go." He nodded and stepped aside to let me by.

Giving a tired nod, I walked by him.

"Sir?" I turned around to face him.

"Yes Zwart?" He turned around to face me from his closet.

"If you would like, I could come in tomorrow and finish it?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow at my offer but shook his head.

"No, you will not be required to come in." He answered.

"Good night sir." I nodded and left the dungeon.


	16. Chapter 16

I don't remember making it to the common room, but when I woke up I was laying on my side on the common room couch with Ariel curled up against my stomach. Looking at the fireplace I blinked to get the sleep out of my eyes. Petting Ariel who stretched and started purring I rolled my shoulders to loosen my muscles.

"Good morning." I heard a voice above me.

"Bla blarg melf isnhch." I fully stretched out my body.

"Did you enderstand what she said?"

"Nope."

"What time is it?" I sat up, disturbing Ariel who glared me before going back to sleep.

"Ten in the morning. We brought you breakfast." Harry's voice said as the smell of scrambled eggs entered my nose.

"Ew get it away, get it away." The smell made me sick.

"Sorry, sorry." The scent was removed and my stomach twisted.

"Argh it's to early." I rubbed my eyes.

"I agree." Ron said, his voice muffled.

Looking over a him I saw that he was eating the eggs I turned away.

"What I miss so far today?" I asked, slowly standing up.

"Just breakfast." Ron shrugged.

I nodded and bent my back and received some cracks. Giving a sigh of relief I slouched.

"How is our princess this fine morning?" Fred's voice rang in my ear and his arm went over my shoulder again.

"Shhhhh!" I put a hand to his mouth.

"Mmph thph mather?" He attempted to speak.

"You're to loud." I whispered.

"PRINCESS CASSIE ARE YOU HUNG OVER?!" George shouted in my ear.

"I'm gonna go upstairs. Send someone up when lunch will be ready." I shoved the two of them away and started walking towards the stairs.

"But Cassie, we wanna spend the day with you." Fred pouted.

"That sucks for you then." I shrugged as I walked up to the first year dormitories.

Entering the room I sighed in relief that the Lavender and Parvarti, the other two girls in my first year, were not there. I flopped on my bed but when I closed my eyes, I opened them back up and was suddenly wide awake.

"Never fails." I stood back up and got all of my shower stuff.

The dormitory door opened and looking over my shoulder I saw that Ariel had pushed the door opened.

"Shower time." I told her as I walked into the bathroom.

Getting a proper look around I saw that there were shower stalls lining one side of the bathroom, sinks on the opposite wall from the door, and a bathtub on the right side. Walking over to the bathtub I turned on the water to start filling up the tub for Ariel to swim in.

She happily hopped in and was purring as she laid in the water. Sitting on the edge I made little whirlpools and splashed water at Ariel for her to play. When the water was at a reasonable lever for Ariel I turned off the water and turned on the water for the shower.

Once I was done showering I was towel drying my hair and walked out of the bathroom. Ariel was still in the bathtub playing in the water. I began digging through my trunk for the letter from my mom and the parchment. Spreading it out on my bed, I sat down with my wand in my hand.

"Why is _'I solemnly swear I am up to no good' _bigger?" I asked the empty room, twirling my wand around my fingers.

_"Mischief managed?"_ I muttered on my breath, tossing my towel to the foot of my bed.

Ariel came out of the bathroom soaking wet, so I got up to drain the bathtub. Ariel was laying next to the heater in the middle of the room, giving her fur occasional licks. Sitting back on my bed I had an idea.

Pointing my wand to the parchment I whispered, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

I did a little dance on my bed when ink started to show up on the parchment. I was surprised to see little dots with names walking around. I saw that my name was in the corner of what appeared to be a map. Picking it up, I walked around the room and saw that my little dot was also moving. Smiling I managed to fold it back up and was pleasantly surprised to see a message in the front.

_Messr. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs_

_are proud to present_

_the Marauder's Map_

Unfolding it again I sat looking at the different names. I found Snape in his dungeons in his potions room. Dumbledore was walking in the hallways, McGonagall was talking several students in the great hall.

"Mischief managed." I tapped the parchment and the ink disappeared and it became a boring ole piece of parchment.

"I figured it out." I whispered to myself as I put the map and letter away.

Skipping out and down the stairs I surprised Harry and Ron.

"I thought you went back to sleep?" Harry asked.

"Nope, I just took a shower." I answered with a smile.


	17. Chapter 17

Saturday went by pretty fast actually. Harry, Ron, and I were to busy attempting to do the homework that I didn't get another chance to look at the map my mom had left in the vault for me. We were up until eleven finishing essays and reading chapters in books. I don't think anything stuck in our heads though...

The next morning I was shaken awake. I realized my back was aching and my face was sticking to something. With a groan I lifted my head, a parchment on my cheek.

"Good morning Princess." George's voice chuckled above me.

"What time is it?" I yawned, peeling the parchment off my face as I pulled myself to my knees.

"It's ten, we brought you guys something to eat also." Fred's voice was next me, and the smell of warm toast filled my nose.

"You guys are so sweet, I thought we weren't going to see it." I stated, stretching my arms and popping my back in the process.

"Well you do need to eat." Hermione huffed from behind me.

"Do I smell pancakes?" Ron mumbled from where he was laying.

"With the stickiest syrup." I watched George tip the plate towards Ron and moved in under his nose.

Ron perked up and grabbed the plate of pancakes before George could pull them away.

"Thank you." Harry yawned as he took the other plate from George.

I nodded and took a small bite of the toast and spit it back on the plate.

"That was rude." Fred put his hand on his chest and actually did look offended.

"Sorry, I don't like butter." I gave a faint smile.

"Oh..." George looked at me thoughtfully.

"Sorry." I shrugged, picking up all of my books and papers.

"Not your fault, we should have asked." George shrugged as Fred stood up to stand next to him.

"I think I'll take whatever is left on Harry's plate." I said over my shoulder as I walked up the stairs.

"What?!" Ron's voice shouted as I opened the door to the room I was occupying for the year.

Ariel was asleep on my pillow on the bed and I gave a sigh of relief when I saw that Parvarti and Lavender were not in the room. They always giggled and pointed when I came in. Dumping all of my stuff on the bed I started gathering up my clothes that had ended up on the floor. After folding some shirts I realized that I couldn't find my stockings... Like my shoes from last week, they had disappeared.

Finishing up with my skirts and cloak I started to arrange my homework in the order I would need them for the next week. Our first week here was kind of moved around, we had different classes on days they weren't suppose to be. As far as I knew, it was only the first years so that we could get used to the hustle bustle of a magic school. For the next week, I think for the rest of the year, we have Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts on Monday. Tuesday we had Charms and History of Magic. Wednesday was our crazy day; we had Potion, Herbology, and Astronomy.

Wednesday was crazy because Astronomy was at midnight. We had to go up the a tower apparently and study the stars, planets, moons of the planets, and learn all of the names. Thursday we had Charms and Transfiguration, I enjoy Transfiguration very much. Friday we had double Potions; with the Slytherins.

I don't understand why they couldn't just have Astronomy during the day instead of us actually staying up late and practically missing our morning Charms lesson. Giving a shrug to my inner monologue I put all of my papers in my trunk, putting my Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts notes and homework in my book bag.

Then I started to looking for my stockings. Even though I hated the feeling of them on my legs I would need them when winter started to come. They weren't under any of the beds, in my dresser or the other dresser that was unoccupied. I wasn't going to be rude and look through the other girls dressers. Giving an exasperated noise I dropped on my bed, startling Ariel who gave a surprised meow at me.

"Sorry." I placed a hand on her fur and slid my hand through her soft fur.

She gave a purr and put her head back down on the pillow. Laying down I felt tears starting to prickle at my eyes; I had sent two different owls with my letters to Charlotte and Ginny yesterday afternoon and even though I knew it would take longer than a day for either of them to respond but I was in a different place, I was losing my clothes, I had already received detention and I was scared, no, terrified that Harry and Ron and the twins and Hermione and Neville were all faking and that they didn't actually want to be my friends.

Trying to fight back the tears I took a deep breath and sat back up real quick and walked towards the bathroom to splash some cold water on my face. Looking in the mirror, I looked at the reflection staring back at me and giving a slight squint I morphed the scar away to see a clear face. I had a nose that was to wide for my face and a chin line that was disproportioned to the rest of my face. Morphing my face, I suddenly had a smaller nose that was upturned a little and chin was also small, actually looking like it was apart of my face.

Shaking my head, everything came back along with my scar.

_'I shouldn't have to change what I look like to make others happy.'_ I thought to myself and smiled.

"I am beautiful." I stated to my reflection, giving it a big smile even though it was clearly fake to me.

I walked out of the bathroom and to the door when Lavender opened it with a high pitch giggle with Parvarti behind her.

"Oh... Hello Cassie." Parvarti gave a little sneer as she walked by me.

"Hi guys." I gave a little wave and left the room quickly walking down the stairs back to the common room.

When I reached the little archway I observed the room. Hermione was sitting a table with books piled high and paper everywhere. Harry and Ron were sitting at the couches, and everyone else was doing various things. I didn't see the twins though. Stomach growling I walked over to where Harry and Ron were.

"Hey there." I sat on the ground in front of them, surprising the boys.

"Hello Cassie, I'm sorry but Ron ate what was left on my plate." Harry gave a sheepish grin as Ron shrugged.

"It's fine I'll grab something to eat later." I shrugged back.

We sat around the common room just talking and getting to know each other better. After getting some hunger pains in my stomach lunch finally came around and I was out of the common room and running down to the Great Hall faster than anyone thought possible.

"Hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry." I chanted as I ran past different people from the other houses.

I ran past Fred and George and waved at them with a smile.

"Cassie wait up!" I heard Ron call after me as I jumped down off the staircase, earning a few gasps as I followed through by rolling and using the momentum to get back to my feet and keep running.

"Hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry." I chanted a bit louder as I swerved around students and corners.

"Hello Cassie!" Cedric's voice echoed through the halls.

I waved over my shoulder as I started to get a stitch in my side and my breathing became hard. Sliding really hard on my feet I turned a corner and my stomach grumbled in response to the smell of food in the Great Hall.

"Food, food, food, food, food." I started to chant as I jogged to where the Gryffindor table was at and down the aisle to find a spot to sit.

I grabbed an apple and a banana from a fruit bowl and grabbed a pitcher of water. Sitting down I peeled the banana and started to break off pieces of it as I waited for the boys to join me. After about five minutes Harry and Ron finally sat down in front of me and were huffing.

"What took you so long?" I asked casually, giving them a smile before taking a finishing bite of my banana and putting the peel on a plate.

"Where did you - learn to run so - bloody fast?" Ron managed to get out between breaths.

I winked at him and poured water into a cup and took a gulp of it. We ate in silence after that and I managed to eat the apple I had grabbed and found some crackers and cheese to eat.

"You're not eating much for someone who missed breakfast." Fred stated as he and George sat on either side of me.

"Can't eat much when you gotta run." I shrugged, sipping water down after my last cracker.

"Where did you learn to run fast anyways?" George asked before taking a bite out a sandwich.

My heart twisted in pain but I smiled at them and shook my head, "now where would be the fun if I told you all of my secrets?"


	18. Chapter 18

**Credit to Harry Potter Wikia for the information on Merlin.**

* * *

Ron, Harry, and I left the Great Hall to return to the common room.

"Guys why don't we explore the grounds? I want to see more of the lake." I tried to convince them.

"Cassie, we're just not in the mood. Why don't you go by yourself or something." Ron rolled his eyes.

_'If I go by myself something bad could happen.' _I thought to myself, trying to keep a smile on my face.

Harry must have seen the look on my face because he said, "I think we should go with her. Just in case."

Ron looked between me and Harry a few times before throwing his hands up, "why do you have to side with her!?"

"Thank you." I whispered to Harry as we turned around to find a doorway to the courtyard outside the main doors to Hogwarts.

"Don't mention it." He whispered back, giving me a friendly nudge.

I had the biggest grin on my face when we started to walk the grounds. The lake the first years had come through was vast and went through some mountains and it looked liked the lake was just an oversized river. Hogwarts was on the side of another mountain, it was quite the beautiful sight if I could say so myself. There was forest lining one side of the grounds and there was mountain on the other side. It was quite amazing to see when we finished exploring and looking around; dinner was actually being served by the time we got back to the castle.

"My legs hurt so much." Ron complained as he sat down.

"Oh you'll be fine." I rolled my eyes at the ginger.

Sitting down, the hall began to fill up. Hermione came and sat next to me and started huffing about school and homework and how I should be following her example. I didn't pay much attention to her. I waved to Neville and he gave a shy wave back to me. Finally after listening to Ron complain about how the food wasn't out yet and how he couldn't believe that dinner wasn't starting yet.

Dumbledore finally stood up from where he was sitting and said a few strange words before dinner finally popped up onto the tables. I gave a grin of delight when I saw the magic happen, and I know that Harry was also. It was going to take us a while to get use to, apparently.

After eating some broccoli and some really juicy steak with mashed potatoes smeared on it, dessert came and I had a small helping of pudding. It was a delicious vanilla flavored pudding. I finished off my pumpkin juice and gave a burp.

"That is so gross!" Hermione said next to me.

Two more burps were heard from down the table and I grinned at Fred and George who both winked at me. Dinner came to a close and Dumbledore dismissed us to our common rooms. Standing up I followed the crowd back to the common room. When we were back in the room, I found Harry and Ron before the bulletin board looking at a piece of paper and Ron was grumbling.

Skipping over to them I peeked over Harry's shoulder and saw what the paper said

_Flying lessons will begin for first years on Thursday  
Lessons will be taught by Madame Hooch outside in the courtyard  
Gryffindor students will be learning with Slytherin students_

"Oh that's just great." Harry huffed.

"I don't know, Slytherin's might just surprise us. It's not just Malfoy in the house." I shrugged behind them.

Both Ron and Harry jumped and turned to face me, I gave a giggle at the looks on their faces.

"No Slytherin is all bad, nobody good comes from that house." Ron said grimly.

"But Merlin was a Slytherin." I turned my head to the side.

"No he wasn't!" Ron shot back.

I rolled my eyes and pulled the two of them to Hermione who was doing her homework again.

"Hermione can I borrow your _Famous Witches and Wizards and the Houses They Were In _?"

"Sure, it's somewhere around here." She didn't bother look up as her quill scratched the parchment she was currently working on.

"Thank you." I nodded, even though I knew she wouldn't see it.

Seeing the title of the book on the spine in a pile of books, I grabbed it and pulled it before the books on top of it could topple over. Flicking through the pages I found the one about Merlin.

"Here read it yourself." I held the book out for Ron to see it.

_Merlin was born sometime during the medieval era.  
During his formative years, he attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and was sorted into Slytherin House. It is possible that he was taught by Salazar Slytherin himself, given the time period Merlin lived in.  
It is said that Merlin's wand was of English oak (though his grave has never been found, so this cannot be proven)._

"That doesn't mean anything." Ron said snobbishly.

"It means everything Ronald." I retorted, rolling my eyes.

"Wait, Merlin was alive when Hogwarts was founded?" Harry asked, his eyes wide when he finished reading the passage.

"According to the book, yes." Hermione said from her spot.

"Just because he was in Slytherin doesn't prove a thing." Ron glared at me.

"It proves, that not all Slytherin's are completely evil. Yes they are snobbish and rude; but that doesn't mean that they have good intentions." I rolled my eyes again.


	19. Chapter 19

Ron ended up ignoring me for the first couple days of the week. I was content with that actually, I don't think he could just accept something like that without some form of repercussions. I spent my time in the library of all places. Hermione was proud and happy that I was 'focusing on my homework' when really, I was looking at different charm books to find a spell to use on Ronald.

Not as some form of revenge oh no. I just needed to learn how to change his color to the emerald green of Slytherin house. I couldn't understand for the life of me why I was standing up for Slytherin. Sure they haven't done anything _bad _to me, but they haven't done anything good for me either.

Flipping through another Charms book I couldn't find a spell that would change Ron's hair. Giving a sigh I shut the book and dropped it on the table with a loud thump, earning me a glare from Hermione and the librarian. Giving a sheepish smile to both of them I started to play with my hair as Hermione continued to scribble on the parchment. Looking at the strand of hair in my hand I turned it as blue as the sky out the window, then white, and I was changing it different colors for awhile.

"Hermione..." I whispered thoughtfully.

"Yes?" She looked up at me with a look that clearly said she didn't want to be disturbed again.

"Is there a potion that could change people's hair different colors?" I asked, changing my hair to a bright apple red.

"I believe so, it'll be somewhere in the potions section. Why?" She sniffed at me.

"No reason. I'll be right back." I grinned as I got up to return all of the charm books back to where I found them.

"Okay." She said, I felt her eyes on me until I turned a corner.

_'This is going to be perfect.'_ I grinned to myself as I lifted a book and it floated back up to where it belonged.

Looking in the potions sections I started to climb onto the tables and onto the different bookcases looking for color changing potions. I don't know how long I was up there trying to find the book I needed but I did hear someone calling my name from below.

"Yes?" I glanced down and waved when I saw Cedric with a smile on his face.

"What are you doing up there?" He asked softly.

"Trying to find a certain potion but I'm not sure where to look." I answered.

"Well what are you looking for?" He asked, his voice sounding closer.

Putting the book back I turned to see that he was climbing up the bookcase to me, "a potion to turn hair different colors."

"A potion to turn hair different colors..." He repeated when he finally reached me, a hand on his chin.

"Yup. Do you know where one could be?" I nodded to him.

"I don't know where one could be, but I know someone who could know." He answered, snapping his fingers then pointing to me.

"Oh that would be so helpful." I smiled brightly.

"Well then we'll have to go down and find her." He smiled back at me and started to climb down.

"Okay." I said, and climbed down after him.

It took awhile for the both of us to get down, Cedric was helping me and making sure I didn't fall off the shelves and I was really eager to get down so I kept misplacing my feet and slipping.

"Why do you want to know about the potion? Aren't you able to change your hair anyways?" He asked when we finally got down to the table holding up the bookcase we were on.

"If I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise." I answered as he dropped down to the ground and he grabbed my waist.

Putting my hands on his shoulders, I jumped a little as he lifted me off the table and swung me down to the ground.

"I guess so." He looked down at me with a smile.

"So where is your friend?" I asked, stepping back from him.

"This way." He turned around and looked over his shoulder to make sure I was still following him.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to need his help to get back to Hermione. We walked through different sections and passed a section had doors with iron bars from floor to ceiling and a padlock was on a chain keeping the doors closed.

"The Restricted Section. Only those with a note from a teacher can get in there." Cedric explained when he came back for me.

"I'm gonna sneak in there one day." I stated, not fully realizing that I had stopped to look at it.

"Good luck with that, not even the Weasley twins have managed to get in there." Cedric chuckled at my statement.

"They're Weasley's, I'm a Zwart." I smiled wickedly at him.

Cedric was taken aback by my smile but he gave me a hesitant nod anyway.

"Well where's your friend?" I asked after a moment of silence between us.

"Oh right, right. This way." He jerked his head and turned around to continue leading me to a part of the library that I wasn't familiar with.

I was gawking at the sheer sizes of the bookcases and how the books were organizing themselves that I didn't realize Cedric had stopped until I bumped into his back.

"Oh, sorry." I said, grabbing his arm to keep my balance and not fall backwards.

"No, I'm sorry; I should have told you I had stopped." He put his arm that I had grabbed behind me, to help keep me balance I think.

Moving my hand so that it wouldn't be in an awkward position I smiled at him with a little giggle.

_'Hufflepuff's are so nice.'_ I thought to myself.

"Hello Cedric, how may I help you today?" A deep baritone voice asked from in front of Cedric.

Looking forward, I saw a dark skinned man with a Ravenclaw tie. His eyes were a deep brown that reminded me of the dark chocolate Charlotte had given to the kids for Christmas one year. He had many books surrounding him and also parchment on the table he was sitting at. Looking at the scene, I was reminded of Hermione and wondered if she wasn't suppose to be in Ravenclaw instead.

"Hello Steven, my friend Cassie, would like your help in locating a certain potion book." Cedric nudged me forward.

"And what kind of potion book would that be?" He crossed his fingers together to look at me with a twinkle in his eye.

"I don't know what book specifically, I'm actually looking for a potion that can change the color of someone's hair." I stepped forward.

"Why would a metamorphmagus want to do with a potion like that when you could just change your hair color at will." He raised an eyebrow at me.

"I had an argument with a friend, I don't think I'll be able to prove a point this year; or at anytime with his thick skull. I just want to pull a prank on him, is all." Talking to him made me want to sound smart.

"I see... I would expect the Weasley twins to have some competition then." He smiled as he stood up to look at some books on the bottom shelf of the bookcase behind him.

"I don't understand?" I said, looking back at Cedric who rolled his eyes with a smile.

"Fred and George Weasley are the school pranksters. They have lost the most points in Gryffindor and the most detentions in just one year." Cedric explained.

"The record amount of most detentions is two hundred fifty five thousand nine hundred and ninety nine." Steven added from his spot.

"How many detentions do the twins have?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"One hundred thousand eight hundred and seventy two, between the two of them of course." Steven answered frankly as he pulled out a book.

"I only have one." I muttered under my breath.

"That was earned on Friday September sixth of the year nineteen ninety one." Steven said as he placed the book he had grabbed on the table between us.

I took a step back with a glare, "do you know everything about everyone or something?"

"Yes." He nodded to me.

"So it's not just me." I stopped glaring but I didn't keep the accusation sound out of my voice.

"No, I make it my business to know everything about everyone." He didn't spare me a glance as he started to rifle through the pages of the book he found.

"How did you meet this guy?" I turned to Cedric who was surprisingly still there.

"He helped me out my first year here. I am grateful for his help." Cedric gave me a look that said to be nice.

"The potion you seek is here, its called _'Color the Hair the Color of the Soul'_ it says that the effects last less than a week, but could last up to a month. It will take up to three days and you're in luck, it's like Veritaserum but instead of using a Jobberknoll feather, you will need the hair of a Metamorphmagus. I guess you will not be having any trouble with this potion." He tapped a page of the book for me.

"That's great." I smiled hesitantly at him, taking a step forward to take it from him.

"Normally, I would require a payment," He said this as he slid the book towards him and out of my reach. "But since you're friends with Cedric and you stood up to Hector Smith." He grinned wickedly at me before sliding the book to me.

"What kind of a payment do I need to make if there's a next time?" I asked, taking the book and folding the top corner of the page since I didn't have a bookmark.

"We'll get there when we get there." He nodded to me as he picked up his quill.

"Well, thank you Steven." I stepped back to stand next to Cedric.

"You're welcome, oh and Cassie," He called as Cedric and I turned around to leave.

"Yes?" I looked over my shoulder.

"Do be careful, you never know who just might be waiting around the corner." He said solemnly.

"Umm, thanks?" I said it more as a question.

"Come on Cass, your friend must be worried about you." Cedric put a hand on my arm and led me away from Steven's secluded corner.

"He was nice." I said dryly when we were a few aisle's away from him.

Cedric chuckled, "sorry about that, but he helped me when I was going through a little bout of bullying when I was a first year."

"Hufflepuffs get bullied?" I stumbled a bit over a chair.

"More so than you would think. Gryffindor... No offense, it's not a very nice house." He shrugged sheepishly as he caught me.

"I didn't realize..." I said after a moment.

"It's not your fault, it's just the way things are." Cedric shrugged as we came up to the potions section I was in when he found me.

"I'm going to change that." I stated, turning to face him.

"And what is a first year Gryffindor going to do exactly?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, I am a Gryffindor. I should be able to do _something_." I sighed as I bowed my head.

"I'm sure you will." He put his hands on my shoulders.

I smiled up at him and we stood there for a bit.

"Well thank you for your help. If there's anything you want or need, to be afraid to ask." I stepped back from him.

"The same goes for you." He smiled at me.

Waving at each other we went our separate ways. Me to Hermione, and Cedric to wherever he went. Skipping over to where I thought I had left Hermione I saw that all of her books and papers were in their places, but she wasn't; looking around I couldn't find her anywhere nearby. Keeping the book with me, I didn't want to lose it, I started to look for Hermione.

"Hermione!" I whispered as loudly as I dared by the librarian.

"Are you looking for Ms. Granger?" The librarian asked, looking down at me over her half moon spectacles.

"Y-yes." I stuttered.

"She's also looking for you. Why don't you go and stay at the table she has currently left unoccupied? I'm sure she'll be back." She pointed back to the table.

"Oh... Ummm okay, I guess." I walked back to the table.

I sat there for a few moments just looking around hoping Hermione would come from the bookcases soon. I don't know how long I was sitting there but I finally pulled a piece of parchment towards me and started writing down the ingredients I would have to steal from Snape's collection.


	20. Chapter 20

_'I need another detention with Snape in order to get these things!'_ I had my hands on my face and I was extremely annoyed.

"There you are!" Hermione's voice said next to me.

"Oh Hermione you have no idea how grateful I am to see you again." I sighed, looking at her with a grimace.

"What's the matter?" She sat down next to me and actually pushed her parchments away from her.

_'Wow, she really does care.'_ I grinned internally to myself.

"I need all of these ingredients and I'm not sure how to get most of them." I showed her my list of ingredients.

"It says you need a leaf of Gomas Barbadensis, that's a plant; hair of a metamorphmagus, that could be you; the common ingredient, that's pretty easy actually; beetle eyes, I have some if you don't; and that should do it." She listed all of the things on my list.

"Gomas Barbadensis... Do you think Sprout would let me have one or several?" I asked, taking the list back from my bushy haired friend.

"I don't see why not, especially since she seems to like you." She shrugged as she pulled a parchment to her.

"Alright... Well it's Tuesday... I need to get this ready by Thursday night... I have to go." I stood up real quick and gathered up whatever materials I had brought.

"See you later." She waved and began to scribble away at her parchment.

"See you." I waved back as I walked up to the librarian's desk.

"I see Ms. Granger has found you." She said as I handed her the potions book I had.

"Yeah, but I have to go now." I shrugged as she waved her wand over the book and stamped something on the front page.

"It's due on October the eleventh, do try and return it in the same condition it is now." She gave me a scolding stare.

"Yes ma'am." I nodded and took the book from her and walked out of the library.

As I was walking down the hall I saw some Slytherin's at the end in the direction I was going. Observing them, I saw Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise; the boy who I was standing next to at the end of the sorting ceremony. With a grin on my face I skipped over to him and I waved as he saw me.

"Blaise right?" I asked as I finally reached them.

"Yes, Cassiopeia right?" He held out his hand for me to shake.

"My friends call me Cassie." I shook his hand.

"What are you doing here Zwart." Malfoy sneered at me.

"I'm talking to Blaise..." I said to him slowly.

"What does a Gryffindor want with some Slytherins?" Malfoy continued to sneer at me.

"Look Draco, you might not like the Weasley's, or Harry because of what happened on the train but I am trying to be nice. I mean, we are going to be taking flying classes together and we are in potions." I rolled my eyes at him.

"That doesn't matter." Malfoy huffed.

"Whatever, how are you liking Slytherin so far Blaise?" I turned back to Blaise.

"It's pretty good actually. Most of my family has been in Slytherin or Ravenclaw, with the occasional Hufflepuff." Blaise shrugged to me.

"I don't know anything about my family, I think my mom was in Hufflepuff but I haven't found anything about her being here yet." I shrugged back as Malfoy stared at me.

"How are you liking Gryffindor Cassie?" Surprisingly it was Goyle who asked.

"I like it, but I didn't realize that Gryffindor also had a case of bullying." I turned to him with a friendly smile.

"I think all of the houses have bullying in them, if you want the good there's got to be some bad, right?" Goyle rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I nodded to him, my grin getting bigger.

"My name's Gregory by the way, and this is Vincent." Goyle, no Gregory, pointed to himself then to Crabbe.

"You guys can call me Cassie." I held out my hand for them to shake.

"Th-thanks C-C-C-C-Cassie." Vincent shook my hand shyly after Gregory did.

"If you guys need anything let me know, that goes for you too Draco." I smiled at all of them.

"And the same goes for you." Blaise nodded to me with a small smile.

"I will keep that in mind, I have to go. It was nice talking to all of you!" I waved as I started to walk away.

"You guys are never to speak to her again-" I heard Draco snap to the group.

I sighed, _'I hope they don't listen to him... It's not like Draco has any power of them or something.'_

After climbing stairs to get to the common room I gave the Fat Lady the password, _fortes fortuna iuvat,_and once I was in the common room I ran past Ron and Harry and quickly up the stairs to my dorm room. I was extremely grateful that Lavender and Parvarti were once again not there. Placing the book on my bed I quickly got my map out.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." I pointed my wand to the parchment.

I grinned in amazement as the ink appeared on the map.

_'I need a place to do this without getting caught...'_ I put my hair up and shoved my wand into the makeshift bun I had made on the top of my head.

Using my finger I followed the different hallways and staircases to find a place that was not occupied to make this potion. I'm not sure how long I was looking at the map but I saw a dot with the name 'Myrtle' circling around the second floor girls lavatory. Getting up and grabbing my cauldron and all of the ingredients and placing them in the cauldron. Looking around for anything that I could have missed I nodded to myself and pulled my wand out of my hair and pointed it to the parchment.

"Mischief managed." The ink disappeared and I folded the map back up and put it in the cauldron along with the book.

Giving a satisfied smile, I put my hair back up in the bun and put my wand in it to keep it off my neck. Grabbing my cauldron I shoved it down underneath my bed. Standing back up the door opened to reveal a pretty girl with brown hair. Looking at her she looked around the room before seeing me.

"Are you Cassie?" She asked.

"Yes?" I turned my face to look at her suspiciously.

"You're friends are looking for you, they asked me to see if you were up here." She explained, opening the door all the way.

"Oh well thank you, I'll go see them in a bit." I smiled to her.

"Okay." She nodded and left the room.

Nodding after her I checked to make sure that my cauldron was covered by my bed covers and left the dorm room as well. Before I turned the corner to take the last step into the common room I took a deep breath.

_'I will not apologize for what I said.'_ I decided before stepping into the common room.

"Cassie over here!" Harry's voice carried from where he sat in front of the fire place.

Hesitantly I walked over to them.

"Where have you been all week?" Harry asked when I was close to him.

"Me? What about you? Every morning when I come down I wait for you guys but Neville has been the one to tell me that you guys have left for breakfast." I crossed my arms.

"Really? You've been waiting for us?" Harry asked as Ron scoffed next to him.

"Yeah, I mean... You are my friends." I looked at the two of them.

Ron looked at me in surprise.

"You guys are actually... My first friends..." I looked down at my feet.

"What do you mean, first friends?" Ron asked.

"She means, no one made the effort to talk to her before she found out about Hogwarts." Harry answered.

I shot my head up at that. When my grey eyes made contact with his emerald green eyes I didn't see pity; I saw understanding.

"Why wouldn't someone make the effort to be friends with her? I mean she is a metamorphmagus!" Ron threw his arms around.

"About that... I didn't know about this until my eleventh birthday." I said sheepishly, uncrossing my arms and rubbing the back of my head.

Harry and Ron both looked at me with their mouths opened.

"And when you're living in a house full of other kids, you get lost in the crowd... And you end up attracting unwanted attention." I put a hand up to my scar at that one.

"Oh..." Ron whispered, his eyes full of pity and also understanding.

We sat there in an awkward silence for awhile.

"I don't want to lose you guys." I whispered finally.


	21. Chapter 21

Ron stood up and put his arm around my shoulder, "you won't lose us."

I gave him a small smile, not trusting myself to keep the tears in. Harry also stood up and even though he didn't say anything, his eyes said it all as he put a hand on my shoulder. Taking a shaky breath I hugged Ron first and then Harry, who gave me an extra squeeze before letting go.

* * *

"Do you guys know where Ariel is?" I asked after sitting with my two best friends on the couch.

"No, I thought she was in your room?" Harry answered, lifting his head off his hand.

"No, I was up there earlier and she wasn't on my bed." I stood up.

"You check the girls dormitory, we'll check the boys in case she went into a different room." Ron said as he and Harry stood up.

"Thank you." I nodded and ran up the girls staircase.

"Ariel here kitty kitty kitty." I called as I opened up my door.

I didn't hear a response, but I checked under every bed anyway. I know I shouldn't have, but I also opened up everyone's trunk to make sure she didn't get stuck in one on accident. Not finding her I checked the bathroom and didn't find her in the bathtub. Giving a sigh, I grabbed the cauldron from under my bed and grabbed the map I had placed in there. Putting it in my waistband of my skirt I tucked my shirt in with it and fixed my clothes to make it look like I didn't have anything in my clothes.

"Ariel, kitty kitty." I called and then clicked my tongue one last time before exiting the dorm with a sigh.

Going up to the next dorm, I knocked before opening the second year dorm. Looking around I saw two girls sitting on a bed facing each other with their legs crossed. They were both looking at me as a third girl came in from the bathroom.

"Have you guys seen a cat? I'm missing one." I asked, taking a step the room.

"No, sorry." The one from the bathroom shrugged.

"Do you mind if I look under the beds anyway?" I asked again.

"No go ahead." One of the girls on the bed waved for me to look.

"Thank you." I smiled and started to crawl around the floor, looking under the beds while saying 'kitty kitty kitty' to try and find Ariel.

Standing up I slumped my shoulders.

"Can't find her?" A voice asked as a hand landed on my shoulder.

"No, and I haven't seen her since this morning." I answered.

"We'll help look, you go up the seventh year dorm and we'll work our way to each other." The two girls got off the bed and put on their shoes as the girl from the bathroom started to walk me to the door.

"Thank you so much." I smiled before racing up the stairs as fast as I could.

_'Why do there have to be so many stairs?'_ I asked myself as I finally made it to the seventh year dorm.

Knocking, I slowly opened the door. Looking in the room I saw six girls sitting on their beds. Two of them had their eyebrows raised while the rest just tilted their heads at me in confusion.

"I'm sorry, but have any of you seen my cat? She's been missing since this morning." I asked, stepping into the room.

"You mean the Turkish Van?" A dark skinned girl asked as she stood up from her bed.

"Yes, her names Ariel." I nodded to her.

"I haven't seen her since this morning either. I'm sure she's fine." She knelt down in front of me.

"I'm sure she is, but she's my first cat that I ever got and I really don't want anything bad to happen to her my first month of school." I shrugged sheepishly.

"She doesn't come up this far, but we can help you." Three of the other girls stood up and were putting on their shoes.

"Do you mind if I look under your beds? I want to check and make sure for myself." I asked with a small smile.

"Go ahead, but she won't be under there." An Indian girl said after standing straight up.

"I believe you, I just want to check." I admitted before repeating the process I had done in my dorm and second year dorm.

"Alice and I will check the rest of the girls dormitory, get their help. Sylvia and Janette you should look in the boys dormitory and get them to help us also. Maggie and Vanessa, to be on the safe side, you should go to the other students at Hogwarts and ask if they would look for a Turkish Van that answers to Ariel." One of the girls above me started delegating.

"There are second year girls and first year boys already looking." I said as I stood up.

"Good then we have a good chance that Gryffindor is already helping." The dark skinned girl nodded.

"Thank you guys so much." I sighed to them as we began to the trek down the stairs.

It was either Sylvia or Janette who had grabbed my hand as we walked down because two of the girls had disappeared into the sixth year dorms and when we reached the common room the other two had walked towards the door as I was led to Fred and George.

"Weasley and Weasley, have you guys seen her cat anywhere?" The Indian girl holding my hand asked as she pushed towards the twins.

"No, not since last night when she followed Cassie up the stairs." George stood up from the table to put an arm around my shoulder.

"Alright, Cassie right?" The dark skinned one asked.

"Yeah?" I turned to them.

"I'm Janette, Sylvia and I are going to look in the boys dormitory now. If you know anyone else who could know where she could be I recommend you ask them." She patted my shoulder before going up the boys staircase.

"How long has she been missing?" Fred asked.

"Since this morning." I turned to him.

"Fred, we might-" George started.

"Have to use the thing." Fred finished, giving him a nod and walking up the stairs.

"Thing? What thing?" I asked George.

"Nothing you need to worry about this minute." George poked my nose with a finger.

Swatting his hand away, I saw Neville come down the stairs and look around the room before spotting me.

"Cassie, Harry wanted me to tell you that he and Ron haven't found Ariel yet." He said as he walked up to me.

"Oh no, she might not be in Gryffindor tower." I looked up to George.

George nodded and ran up the stairs after his brother. Turning to Neville, I grabbed his hand.

"Neville, could you tell Harry and Ron that I went out to look for Ariel?" I asked as he looked down and blushed at our conjoined hands.

"Y-ye-y-yes." He stuttered.

"Thank you!" I gave him a quick hug before hurrying out of the common room.

After I was down several staircases I found a spot where I could see if anyone was coming up or down the stair case I was on. Pulling out my wand from my hair and the map from my waist I said, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." And watched as the ink appeared on the map. Giving a quick look around I opened it up and started looking for Blaise's name. I found him walking down the hall on the fourth floor.

Muttering a quick, "mischief managed." I put the map back in my waist line and my hair back up in a bun with my wand through it as I started to walk down the stairs again towards the fourth floor. Once my hair was up and I wasn't going to lose my wand, I began to pick up speed before running and jumping down stairs and through hallways. I am extremely grateful that these are really long hallways because when I reached the fourth floor, I heard Blaise's voice from the far end.

Giving a pant I ran the last few meters to where I hoped he was. Turning the corner he was only a few meters away from me and he was walking with Draco. I managed to get in front of them and get them to stop walking, but I was trying to catch my breath when I did so.

"What do you want Zwart?" Draco snapped at me when I took to long.

"Have - you guys - seen - Ariel?" I managed to get out.

"Who's Ariel?" Blaise asked before Draco could open his mouth.

"My cat, I was holding her as we were walking towards the hat for the sorting ceremony." I explained, finally catching my breath.

"No, I haven't seen a cat around actually." Blaise answered.

"Oh no... Well thank you for your help." I nodded to them before jogging back the way I came.

"Do you need help looking for her?" I was surprised that it was Draco who asked.

Turning around, I looked at the both of them before nodding.

"We can get Slytherin to look around the dungeon." Blaise offered.

"Would you please? If you find her, could you hold onto her until dinner?" I asked.

"We can do that." Blaise nodded as he and Draco took off for downstairs.

_'Two houses down, two to go.'_ I thought to myself.

As I was running down another hallway I saw two Ravenclaws jogging my way from the other end.

"Excuse me, have you seen a cat? A girl from Gryffindor has lost one." The girl called to me.

"I'm Cassie, I'm the one with the missing cat." I called back sheepishly.

"Oh, do you remember when and where you last saw her?" The boy asked me as we met up in the middle.

"This morning when I let her out of Gryffindor tower." I answered.

"She isn't in Gryffindor tower?" The girl asked with a slight pant.

"No, all of Gryffindor is looking for her. I actually just got some Slytherin's to look in the dungeon." I explained.

"Oh that's good, we were asked by a Hufflepuff if we could help find a Turkish Van cat." The boy said.

"Great! All four houses looking for her? We should be able to find her before dinner!" I said happily.

"If we find her, we'll give her back at dinner. Okay?" The two Ravenclaws smiled back at me before jogging back down the hallway from where I came.

Nodding to them I waited for them to turn the corner before checking around to make sure no one else was going to show up. Pulling my wand and map from their respective places I tapped the map and gave the password before putting my wand behind my ear as my hair fell down. Unfolding the map and putting it on the ground I checked it. There were groups from two to seven of dots with names wandering the map.

Giving a relieved a sigh, I started looking for places that didn't have anyone looking. It was just the third floor, but Dumbledore's dot was there accompanied by McGonagall and Sprout. Giving closing password I tapped the map and put it and my wand back and started to run for the third floor. After running up a stair case I made it to a door and just in time to see the three professors I wanted to find.

"Minnie!" I called out before she could get to far away.

"Black, how many time have I told you not to call me that?" She asked before turning around.

"Who's Black?" I asked.

"Is there something you needed Ms. Zwart?" Dumbledore asked before McGonagall could answer.

I watched her eyes widen but her composure was quickly regained before looking back down at me.

"I'm looking for my cat, Ariel. I haven't seen her seen her since this morning." I said, turning to the headmaster.

"I'm sure she's alright Ms. Zwart." Sprout said from Dumbledore's other side.

"That's what everyone keeps telling me, but she's my first cat and..." I trailed off, biting my lip.

_'Do I tell them about my shoes and now missing stockings?'_

"And what Zwart?" McGonagall prompted.

"Someone took my shoes and stockings and I don't want to think that they took Ariel either." I admitted, bowing my head.

"My dear, you told me you lost your shoes." Sprout put a hand to her heart.

"I did, I didn't want you guys to worry about something as small as shoes when I'm sure there are bigger things going on at the moment." I sighed to them.

"We'll worry about your articles of clothing later, when was the last time you saw your cat.?" McGonagall asked.

"This morning when I let her out coming down for breakfast." I said, internally sighing in relief.

"Didn't you say at the beginning of the year you wouldn't see her when you both were settled in?" Dumbledore asked me.

"I may have, but again someone has been taking my clothes and I don't want them to get a hold of her." I explained.

"Is there anyone else helping you look for Ariel?" Sprout asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"The seventh years have gotten Ravenclaws to help, they told me that a Hufflepuff got them to start help look. I also just got done talking to Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini and they went to get Slytherin to help look." I said taking a deep breath.

"I'm sure she'll turn up, especially since you managed to get the entire school to help find Ariel." Dumbledore did actually sound impressed with that.

I nodded with my face heating up, earning a chuckle from the teachers as they watched my hair turn to a light pink color.

"Now, how are you going to find the person who has your cat when she is found?" McGonagall raised an eyebrow at me.

"I told them to hold onto her until dinner. Since I wouldn't be able to find her." I admitted with a sheepish grin.

"That... That is smart actually." She blinked at me then squinted.

I gave her a smile and even though I didn't hear it, I saw her gasp and she put a hand on Dumbledore's arm. They exchanged a glance but didn't say anything to each other.

_'What's that about?'_ I thought to myself.

"Well, it's only four and dinner doesn't start until six so why don't you go along and try to find your cat? We'll gather the rest of the professors and let them know about the situation." Sprout clapped her hands as McGonagall, Dumbledore, and I almost had a stare down.

"Okay, thanks again." I waved before walking away.

"One more thing Ms. Zwart." Dumbledore called out.

I turned around to face him.

"Don't make it a habit to wander up here. You never know what might be lurking behind closed doors." He said to me with a pointed look.

"Yes sir." I waved again before turning around to go back the way I came.

_'You never know what might be lurking around closed doors? What could he possibly be talking about?'_ I asked myself as I started to wander the castle in search of my cat.


	22. Chapter 22

Walking down the hallway, I gave a dejected sigh.

_'How am I ever going to Ariel in this castle?'_ I asked myself as I walked by several Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaws who were huddling over something.

Walking over to them, I managed to get a look at a parchment with lines on it between their bodies. They were taller than me and it was intimadating.

"Okay, so we have Hufflepuff's looking on the grounds, Ravenclaws are looking on the main levels with the most activity. Gryffindor is looking through the towers and Slytherin has the dungeons. Have we missed anything?" One asked, using a quill to point at various places on the map they had sprawled out.

"The third floor, but Dumbledore said that it was forbidden this year." A voice answered.

"I just saw Dumbledore, McGonagall and Sprout come out of there. They haven't seen anything when they were there." I offered up quietly.

"Okay, so we know that the third floor is clear of any cats." The Hufflepuff holding the quill dipped it in a bottle of ink and crossed off the third floor.

"We should still put people on the different pathways to the third floor corridor just in case the cat shows up there." A Ravenclaw suggested.

My heart swelled as the Hufflepuffs began to tell different people which part of the corridor they had, when they pointed their quill to me they opened their mouths but then shut it. My hair turned pink but I looked him in the eye.

"What's the report on the Gryffindor search?" He asked.

"I don't know. I haven't seen anyone from my house since I left to look for Ariel." I answered.

"Ariel, the cat?" He asked, everyone slowly turned to listen to our conversation.

"Yes, she's mine. I haven't seen her since this morning." I nodded, my hair turning a lighter pink.

"You're Cassiopeia, the one who stood up to Hector Smith?" Someone asked from within the group.

"Yes...?" I answered.

"He has not been shutting up about how you ruined everything between him and Stefanie." A Ravenclaw sighed beside me.

"You're all he talks about, he's made several threats about getting Stefanie back, but he hasn't specifically said anything to harm you." The Hufflepuff holding the quill also sighed, raising his eyebrow at me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make an enemy. Especially one who prefers to act my age rather than his own." I shrugged my shoulders.

That earned a few snorts and guffaws from the group.

"You're a feisty one." Quill boy pointed at me.

Before I could respond, a Slytherin came up with Blaise right behind him.

"Kristoff, we checked the dungeons and didn't find any Turkish Van cats laying about." He said, standing behind me.

I stepped around so that he could take my place in the circle of older kids. Blaise put a hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"Did you leave anyone at different openings just in case the cat goes down there anyway?" Kristoff asked, putting a line through the dungeons.

"How are you doing?" Blaise asked next to me quietly.

"Ask me that after dinner." I answered back just as quietly.

"Any word on Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?" Kristoff asked loudly.

"No not yet." Several voices answered from different parts of the group.

"Okay, everyone who I talked too, to your posts! Let's make sure the cat didn't wander onto the third floor." Kristoff waved his quill and pairs of people began to disperse.

"You know, I've never seen anyone actually rally the whole school together to find a cat." The Slytherin said under their breath to Kristoff.

"Do you know why?" Kristoff muttered back.

"No... Why?" The light hair Slytherin asked.

"Cassiopeia Zwart of Gryffindor stood up to Hector Smith of Hufflepuff." Kristoff jotted some notes to on the parchment.

I turned to Kristoff and the Slytherin.

"What's so special about standing up to him?" I asked, stepping forward with Blaise next to me.

"Well, he may be a Hufflepuff but he has a reputation. Being a first year, I don't think you would know." The Slytherin answered.

"What's his reputation?" Blaise asked from beside me.

"I don't know if we should tell you..." Kristoff and the Slytherin both looked at each other.

"What would you tell Cassie since she's the one he has a vendetta against, Wilfred?" Blaise pointed to me.

"You're Cassiopeia?" The Slytherin pointed at me.

"Yes, now what is so special about me standing up to him?" I asked again.

Wilfred and Kristoff both looked at each other then to me. Wilfred sighed while Kristoff rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I don't want to tell you. But you do need to know..." Kristoff muttered.

"You need to understand... He's not a good person." Wilfred sat down next to Kristoff.

Taking his lead, I sat down in front of them. Blaise sat next to me.

"I got that much." I sighed, putting a hand to my scar.

Kristoff's nostrils flared and he had to look away from us for a moment while Wilfred's eyes glazed over.

"He's had a thing for Stefanie Glazer since they were both first years. He's always pined after her and she was finally giving him a chance. They sent letters back and forth over the summer and they were planning on going to Hogsmeade. What Hector didn't take into account was her compassion. She cared to much for Cassiopeia and not enough for him. So when you 'ruined his chances,' " Wilfred did the air quote thing with his fingers.

"You actually did ruin his chances." Kristoff finished.

"I didn't mean too." I said defensively.

"We know, but he has instigated horrible things to the different the different boys that Stefanie has been asked out by. Everyone's actually afraid for you." Kristoff explained.

"Afraid?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"Yes. No one has any proof that he did the horrible things and the school wouldn't be able to do anything if something happened to you." Wilfred nodded his head.

"I don't understand. All I did was tell the truth." I looked at Blaise who only looked as confused as I felt.

"Exactly. He threatens everyone and everyone's to scared to do anything all because _no one has told the truth before_." Kristoff stressed the last part of his sentence.

"And I'm the only who has." It clicked.

"Yes, everyone's scared that you're going to get hurt and we won't be able to do anything about it. Haven't you noticed the different kids following you? It's mostly Ravenclaw because your a Gryffindor and Slytherins following you would be a bad signal." Wilfred explained.

"Hufflepuff will follow you around, but it's mostly Cedric Diggory who keeps an eye on you." Kristoff added.

Remembering the past few weeks, I did notice that Cedric was pretty much escorting me to my classes and there was a group of Ravenclaws right behind me when I wasn't with Cedric or Harry and Ron.

"That explains it." I snapped my fingers.

Wilfred and Kristoff chuckled at that. Looking over at Blaise, he wasn't paying us much attention. So I gave him a nudge.

"What's going through your head?"

Looking at me then at the older boys he opened his mouth, "you guys don't think that... Hector might have taken Ariel?"


	23. Chapter 23

"Bollocks." Wilfred and Kristoff swore under their breath.

I stiffened my back and my hair turned white. I'm pretty sure all the color drained out of my face, making my scar more noticeable. Wilfred shot up and started running down the hall, shouting at anyone who would listen to find Hector.

I don't remember what happened. I was so frightened and my instinct was to stay frozen.

_'Don't move or everyone will know you are scared.' _I tried to think but my thoughts weren't working; along with any other body functions.

I was being shaken when I finally gather my thoughts.

"Cassie!" Harry's voice was shouting from what sounded like a far distance.

Shaking my head, my heart beat was slowly calming down but it was still racing. Looking at Harry, his emerald eyes were full of concern and worry. Ron, who was next to him, also had worry his eyes, but there was also fear.

"Hey guys." I whispered to them, not trusting my voice.

"It's time for dinner, I heard that a Ravenclaw found Ariel somewhere in the castle. She has her in the Great Hall." Harry tried to pick me up.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." I started to move at the mention of Ariel's name.

Harry was pulling me along since I didn't seem to be focusing on where I was going.

"Is she going to be alright?" Ron's voiced echoed through my ears.

"When she sees that Ariel is safe I'm sure she will be." Kristoff's voice answered back.

Turning to Harry, he was looking back and forth between me and the hallway we were walking down. Kristoff and Ron were behind us and there were several Ravenclaws and Hufflepuff surrounding us. Looking back, Blaise was a few steps behind Kristoff and Ron.

"Blaise." I called out.

He looked at me, and took a few hesitant quick steps. Ron turned around to glare at him while Harry's grip on my arm tightened.

"I'm not mad at you, I promise." I turned around to walk with him.

"Are you sure? I didn't mean to upset you. Your hair turned white and no one could get you to respond and I was starting to panic since I was the one to suggest that Hector took Ariel and I was so scared that you were mad and I didn't know what to do." Blaise gushed out, his already dark skin appearing darker.

"Blaise," I put a hand on his shoulder as we walked to the Great Hall with everyone else. "I'm not mad at you for suggesting the idea. I'm grateful because now I know that I need to keep an eye on my cat and on Hector."

"Are you sure?" Blaise asked, looking at me with his eyes starting to turn red.

"Yes. Now I know you boys have a thing against hugs but I'm going to hug you because I need one." I smiled and winked at him as I hugged him.

I earned an intake of breath from Ron. I was going to hear it from him. However, Blaise hugged me back and in my ear, "thank you."

Pulling back I nodded and turned to the Great Hall entrance.

"I'm going to get Ariel. Thank you guys so much for helping me." I smiled to everyone.

I got several 'you're welcome's' and 'no problems' and 'don't mention it' as I walked into the Great with Harry and Ron by my side. Giving a careful glance around the hall, I spotted a group of students by the other end of the Ravenclaw table. Walking over, people started to point and whisper. Others were not shy to shout down to the group that I was coming. The students parted and I saw Ariel being held by fifth year Ravenclaw. I took off running, Ron and harry tried to keep up but I was so relieved to see my cat that I left them behind. Almost crashing into the girl, I was tearing up and saying thank you so many times I'm pretty sure I slurred them all together.

Taking Ariel into my arms, I buried my face into her fur. She was purring and trying to rub her face against mine but I could only hold her.

"She was in a window, basking in the sun. No one was near her." Steven's baritone voice said above me.

Glancing up, I saw him standing next to the girl who had a giant grin on her face.

"Thank you." I whispered, not trusting my voice to not crack.

"You're welcome Cassiopeia." She giggled.

Giving her a watery smile I turned around to the rest of the crowd.

"Thank you everyone for helping find my cat!" I called out to everyone after clearing my throat.

I got cheers from all of the tables as I began to walk back to the Gryffindor table. Harry and Ron had managed to catch up to the edge of the Ravenclaw crowd and were helping me get out and towards the Gryffindor table. We couldn't push through for awhile, but suddenly there was a hand on my back and everyone was being pushed away, looking up I saw a beautiful girl. She had short brown hair and light brown skin. My hair turned pink and I felt blood rushing up to my cheeks.

"It's okay, we'll get you to your table." She put her mouth to my ear and I could only nod.

_'Oh my snap... She is beautiful...'_ I thought to myself as I finally arrived and sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"Thank you for your help Christensen." George's voice said from in front of me as he sat down.

"No problem Weasley." She patted my shoulder and walked away.

I watched her walk to the Slytherin table and sit next to Wilfred who nodded to me. I nodded back to him but kept my eyes on her.

"Her name's Beth Christensen. She's a third year with us, is a nasty beater for the Slytherin team as well." Fred explained next to me.

"I thought you guys hated the Slytherins?" I asked, finally managing to pull my eyes away from her.

"Only those who make fun of us." George growled from across the table.

I nodded. The Hall was to loud to have any other conversation. It took all of the teachers and ghosts to finally calm everyone down. I was holding onto Ariel as Dumbledore gave the words to start dinner. Harry actually got me different foods since I wasn't reaching for anything.

"Thank you." I said as he gave me some peas and carrots to finish off my plate.

"Don't mention it." He shrugged as he started to eat his own food.

Finally letting go of Ariel after giving her ears one last scratch, I started to cut up some meat for her and myself. Feeding her a piece, Neville asked me a question.

"Where was she?"

"Apparently she was in a window sun bathing and napping." I answered, looking up at him as Ariel took the meat and dropped to the ground to eat it.

"See? She was fine." George kicked me under the table.

"I know now, but she is my first cat and I don't want anything to happen to her." I shrugged sheepishly, dropping another piece of meat down for Ariel and eating one for myself.

* * *

After dinner Fred and George had to rush me through the crowd because everyone wanted to say how glad they that I had found Ariel and that if I needed anything I shouldn't be afraid to ask. It was maybe thirty to forty-five minutes later that we finally ended up in front of the Fat Lady. They gave the password and I finally had a chance to breath.

"I see you have Ariel still." Percy's voice sniffed from somewhere around me.

"Yes she does Perc-" Fred started.

"What good eyes you have." George finished.

Percy sniffed but walked away.

"What's his problem?" I asked as several of the older kids came to pat Ariel on the head.

"It's that prefect badge, it's getting to his head." Fred and George both said while shrugging their shoulders.

I nodded as Janette and Sylvia walked up to me.

"Where was she?" Sylvia asked as she bent down to scratch Ariel under chin.

"A Ravenclaw told me she was in a window sun bathing and napping." I answered as I noticed Ariel's ears twitch and her tail flicked against my arm.

"Oh that's good." Janette sighed in relief as I put Ariel on the ground.

We watched her slink up to the staircase with her tail low and her ears laid back.

"Is she okay?" I asked.

"She's just irritated with the attention she's getting." McGonagall's voice said from behind us.

"Hello Minnie!" I piped up, spinning on my toes to face her.

"Potter, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" She rolled her eyes while putting her hands on her hips.

"Professor... I didn't say anything." Harry said from beside her.

"Oh... Sorry Potter, I meant Bl- Meant Zwart." McGonagall flushed.

_'Potter, Black? Who are these people?'_ I asked myself as she patted her hair bun.

"Is there something you needed Professor?" Fred asked after the awkward silence.

"No, nothing in particular." She said as she turned around and left the common room.

"That was weird." Sylvia said.

"Yup." I responded.

"What did she mean by Potter?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, she did teach your father right?" Ron shrugged at him.

"I guess... Thing is I don't know what house he was in." Harry sighed.

"I'm sure we'll figure it out." I patted his shoulder.

He nodded and the seven of us stood in a circle for a moment.

"We're going to go up and finish some homework." Janette stated and grabbed Sylvia's hand.

"Thank you for your help." I waved as they walked up the stairs.

"We're going to go to our dorm. And do..." Fred and George both walked away, George walking backwards as he talked to us.

"Things." Fred finished as he pulled George's sleeve.

They raced each other up the stairs.

"I think I'm going to go up as well." I turned to the boys.

"That's fine. Good night." Ron patted my shoulder as Harry nodded.

"Good night you guys." I smiled at them as I began my ascent up the stairs.

Pausing at my dorm door, I hesitated.

_'Who better to ask for privacy than the older girls.'_ I thought to myself as I raced up the stairs back up to the seventh years dorm.

Pausing to catch my breath I knocked on the door. I only waited maybe a few seconds before, I think Maggie, answered the door.

"Hello Cassie, is everything alright?" She asked, opening the door wider.

"Everything's fine, I just have one more question." I said, taking a step into the room.

"What is it?" Janette asked from her bed.

"Where would a girl go to have... _Privacy_ in this big school?" I asked.


	24. Chapter 24

At two in the morning, I began to silently get out of bed. Ariel grumbled but resettled back on her pillow. I knelt down on the ground and got my cauldron with my ingredients.

_'I guess I didn't need that detention with Snape after all.'_ I shrugged as I tip toed as best as I could out of the dorm room without disturbing the girls.

Walking down the stairs was hard, but not much of a challenge as I had to only go down ten of them. Poking my head out of the archway I looked in the dim fire light to see and nothing was moving. I took one step out and froze. Something had groaned.

Pivoting to my right I held out my wand and silently cursed to myself for not knowing any offensive or defensive spells. Seeing nothing move, I turned around again to see the mountain of books that Hermione had marked the table with. Slowly walking over, I saw Hermione laying her head on the table. Sighing as quietly as I could, I put my cauldron down, and got the blanket from the couch and placed it over her shoulders.

_'Please don't wake up.'_ I begged as I picked my cauldron back up and started for the Fat Lady as quietly as I could.

Pushing it open, I was relieved when it didn't squeak; but when I closed it I had to slap my hand against my mouth and keep a squeal from coming out. The Fat Lady was wide awake and had her hands on her hips.

"Now why shouldn't I wake up the whole school?" She asked me sternly, a thick eyebrow raised.

"Because you haven't for the Weasley twins?" I answered after my shock wore off.

She glared at me but sighed, "fine, but be sure to be back before Filch catches you."

"Thank you! I promise to be back before three!" I waved as I tried to hurry to the second floor lavatory.

_' "If you want privacy, the second floor lavatory is the place to go... Technically." Janette answered._

_"You just have to be careful of Moaning Myrtle." Sylvia added from beside her._

_"Who's Moaning Myrtle?" I asked._

_"She's the ghost who haunts the second floor lavatory." Maggie answered next to me._

_"Why does she haunt the lavatory?" I looked at all of the girls._

_"No idea, but do be nice to her. She's sensitive." Another girl answered from her bed._

_"Oh okay... Will she, tell anyone of what happens in her lavatory?" I asked before leaving._

_"Only if someone specifically asks about it." Janette nodded._

_"Okay, thank you." I smiled at them before turning around to leave._

_"Don't get caught, whatever it is you're doing." Maggie's voiced called to me as I started to head down the stairs._

_"I never get caught." I called back, earning laughs from the seventh year dorm. '_

Finding a torch that wasn't out, I pulled the map I had put back in the cauldron with Parvati and Lavender not noticing.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." I whispered to the map as I pointed my wand to it.

The torch started to dim so I flicked my wand and said, "lumos."

A white light came from the tip of my wand.

"Magic is so cool." I said to myself as I checked my path to the lavatory on the second floor.

Filch was up in the Astronomy tower, most of the teachers were in their beds. Dumbledore was pacing in his study with McGonagall's dot standing on one side of the room.

"Nox." I flicked my wand again and the light went out.

Sliding my feet on the ground, not wanting my bare feet to make a sound, I started to head down the many staircases that changed at different times. Risking a little bit of sound, I quickly ran down the stairs, not wanting them to move on my quest to make this potion. Finally making it down the stairs without them moving, I gave a victory sigh of relief before continuing on through the many halls to get to my destination.

I started to hum, not really giving it a tune. I just needed to get the nervousness out of my system, but it wasn't working. So I stopped humming. Several times I heard noises and would freeze next to the shadows. After the fifth time I froze I darkened my skin and hair.

There wasn't much that I could do for my pajamas. Instead of my usual bright colors, I changed into my darkest blue night dress. I only had bright green, yellow, and blue pants. I wore mostly oversized tee shirts that were donated to the house.

Peeking my head around the corner I finally pushed my hand to open the door to the girls lavatory. Walking inside I saw stalls on either side of one a mini hallway. A bunch of sinks in a circle were in the center of the room. Walking by the sinks, I got a horrible twist in my stomach and I felt like I was being watched. Trying to avoid the sinks as best as I could, I pushed myself up against the wall and tip toed around them.

_'This prank is more important than my gut telling me to get out of here!'_ I thought to myself sarcastically.

"Hello? Myrtle?" I called out, ignoring the twisting in my gut.

"Who's there!?" A voice snapped from one of the stalls.

"My name's Cassie. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind sharing your bathroom with me for a few days?" I asked, looking around for any sign of the ghost.

"You're asking for my permission?" She asked after awhile.

"Well, yes. I don't want to make my potion if you didn't want me in your bathroom..." I explained, trailing off as I lightened my skin and hair back to their original colors.

"N-n-no one's e-e-e-e-e-ever a-asked before." Myrtle started moan and stutter.

"I didn't mean to offend you!" I said quickly, turning around in circles trying to find her.

"Offend?! You think you've offended me!?" She yowled and there was a splash and a ghost of a girl with her hair tied up in two pony tails on either side of her head and thick glasses on her face.

"Sorry?" I squeaked as she got in my face.

"You can use my lavatory." She finally said after staring at me for what felt like a long time but was probably only a minute.

"Thank you." I smiled to her and started to set up my cauldron against the wall as far from the sinks as possible.

"What are you doing anyway?" She asked, floating above me.

"Making a potion to change the color of hair of people." I answered as I opened up the potions book from the library.

"Why would you need something like that when you can just do it yourself?" She asked.

"I had an argument with a friend earlier this week and I know I won't be able to change his opinion of things but this came to mind. We've made up but I still want to do this and instead of just him, I'm going to put it in the school's supply of pumpkin juice." I explained as I started to measure out the ingrediants I would need as I go.

"So a school wide prank?" She asked again.

"Yeah, something like that." I nodded as I turned on the little burner to a medium heat.

"I've heard the Weasley Twin's of Gryffindor are notorious pranksters?" She more asked than said.

"I have as well, but maybe it's about time they get some competition; and not from a poltergeist." I smiled as I was finished setting up.

"The twins sure are handsome fellows." Myrtle said steadily as I began to grind the Gomas Barbadensis and sprinkle it into the cauldron.

"I don't know about that... They're just friends." I shrugged.

"You'll understand when you're older." Myrtle giggled as I scrunched my nose at her comment.

"I don't think I want to understand." I stood up with a little cup and took tentative steps towards the sink.

"Oh you will." She cackled and flew around the air.

I paused a few meters from the group of sinks and tried to calm my beating heart. Myrtle paused in her circling and floated down to me.

"Are you scared of the sink?" She whispered to me.

"Terrified, actually." I nodded to her and my stomach twisted as I took a step towards it.

"Good. I was killed by a monster with yellow eyes by the sink." Myrtle sniffled.

"A monster?" I took another step.

"Yes, I was crying because some girl made fun of my glasses and some boy came in. When I opened the door to tell him 'GO AWAY!' I died." Myrtle started to moan.

"That's terrible." I whispered as I finally made it to the sink.

Hesitant, I reached for a knob to turn on the water and put my cup underneath the water. I was shaking so much that I jumped when a some of the cold water hit my hand but I kept the cup under the water because I really needed it for the potion.

Once my cup was full, I turned off the water slowly and tip toed as fast as I can away from the sink.

_'__I can't believe I'm still here. Is this really worth it?'_ I asked myself as I poured in the water for it to start boiling.

Looking over the book, and then checking the moon I gave myself a nod, _'of course it's worth it. I have to make my mark somehow.'_

Myrtle floated over my head as I prepared the potion to brew for the next couple of hours. Standing up after I was done, I stretched out my back and walked around the sink.

"Are you leaving?" Myrtle pouted.

"I have to sleep, I have classes in the morning. I'll be back tomorrow to visit." I promised as I darkened my skin and pulled out my map to check the coast.

Walking slowly, I made my way back to Gryffindor tower. I managed to avoid Peeves, and Mrs. Norris. When I made it back to the coomon room the Fat Lady was asleep so I knocked softly on he portrait. She peeked one eye open then closed it again.

"I know your awake, and it's not even two fourty-five!" I whispered to her, my hands on my hips.

She let out a fake snore.

"Such a shame, I was going to conjure a bottle of the finest wine into the painting. Alas; if I can't get in, no wine." I shrugged and got ready to settle on floor.

"Can you really do that?" She asked, lifting her head from her arms.

"I can try." I nodded.

"Oh good, I haven't had wine in so long." She swung the door open for me.

"I'll be sure to get you some then." I smiled as I walked in.

I lightened my skin as I tiptoed through the common room.

"And where have you been?" George's voice asked from one side of the room.

I froze.

"It's almost three in the morning." Fred's voice came from the other side.

_'I'm surrounded.'_ I thought as I turned to look at them.

"Do you not know how much trouble you could have gotten Gryffindor in?" George stepped out of the shadows with his arms crossed.

"Wait a minute... How did you know I was even up?" I pointed a finger to Fred as he stood up from the chair he was sitting in.

"We know all the comings and goings of this place." George said from above me.

"Is that so? Then where was I?" I asked.

"Second floor lavatory with Moaning Myrtle." They both answered.

"We wouldn't want McGonagall to know about your nightly excursions, would we?" Fred bent down to my level, a twinkle in his eye.

"Or your nightly trips to the kitchens?" I asked, a smirk on my own lips.

They both took a step back, "how do you know about that?" George gasped.

"I'll tell you, if you tell me." I folded my arms, looking at the both of them.

Fred put an arm around George and they started whispering to each other. As they took turns looking back at me I started to yawn.

_'I really need to get to bed if I want to stay awake during one of my classes. I don't think I'll be making my mark as a prankster...'_ I thought to myself.

"Here's the deal. We won't tell you until we're positive you can be trusted with our success." They said, turning to me.

"I can work with that." I nodded and started up the stairs.

"Wait!" George exclaimed.

"What?" I turned to them.

"Aren't you-" Fred started.

"Going to tell us-" George stepped up to the bottom of the stair case.

"Your secret?" They finished together.

"No. My deal was I will tell if you tell, and your deal was you won't tell until I can be trusted with it. So the new deal is neither of us are telling." I rolled my eyes at them.

"That's smart." They both said.

"Thank you." I nodded and started up the stairs again.

"G'night princess." Fred called softly.

"Night Gred, night Feorge." I called back as I opened my door.

I giggled at their chuckles and also at Ariel's soft meow in greeting.

I laid on my bed and snuggled up against the Turkish Van who's purring helped lull me to sleep.

_' "Hello there." A kind voice said from above me._

_Looking up, I saw a pair of twinkling blue eyes._

_"You must be Cassiopeia. You're mother is in quite a frenzy looking for you." He muttered to me as he bent down to my level._

_"Pathword?" I asked, hugging my stuffed animal to my chest._

_"Ah yes, the password she told me you would ask something like that." He nodded to himself._

_"Momma?" I asked, hugging the gray plush against my chest._

_"No, I'm afraid I'm not your mother. But she did tell me to tell you 'hippogriff.' " He smiled kindly to me._

_"Hippogrith!" I held out my plush animal to the old man, showing him the eagle headed thing._

_"That's right, Cassiopeia." He nodded to me and held his arms out for me._

_I walked towards the friendly man._

_"Momma?" I looked up at him._

_"No young one... I'm afraid I'm not taking you to your mother." He sighed sadly as he picked me up._

_"Daddy?" I tilted my head, dropping my animal._

_"No, not your daddy either." He said as the animal floated back to my grip._

_"Hippo!" I cried happily as he came back to my little arms.'_


	25. Chapter 25

I opened my eyes just as Hermione was about to shake me awake.

"Oh! Good morning Cassie." She retracted her arm.

"Morning Herm." I sat up and stretched my arms over my shoulder.

"Did you put a blanket around me last night?" She asked.

"I did, I woke in the middle of the night and saw that you weren't up in your bed so I went downstairs to check on you. I found you on the table surrounded by your books so I put a blanket on you." I stood up and slid on my skirt under my night dress and proceeded to get ready for the day.

"Oh, thank you." She said as she also got into a fresh uniform.

"Welcome." I shrugged as I scratched Ariel's ears.

"Hermione?" I asked as I waited for her to put on her shoes.

"Hmm?" She looked up.

"Do you have a childhood toy?" I asked, crossing my arms and leaning against her bed post.

"I do, it's embarssing really." She blushed and looked back down to her feet.

"What is it?" I sat down next to her.

"It... It was a worm, with a muggle graduation cap and little bow tie around it's neck." She didn't look at me.

"What was its name?" I smiled at the thought with little Hermione walking around holding a green worm.

"Mr. Wormy." She mumbled.

"That's sweet." I nudged her.

"You think so?" She looked at me with her hair covering her face.

"Yeah, I don't remember if I even had a childhood toy." I shrugged, standing up and pulling her up with me.

"Mine was a little stuffed dog, I named it Muffin." Lavenders voice said from the other side of the room.

"I have a cat, I named her Snowball." Parvati pulled out a little ratty stuffed cat.

"You actually brought it with you?" I smiled at her.

"I did... I was too nervous not too, and with Padma being in a different house, well it helps me sleep at night." Parvati rubbed her head sheepishly.

"I brought mine too!" Lavender pulled out a dirty golden puppy animal.

The two of the started to gush about the others animal as Hermione showed me a worn green worm that was hidden under her pillow.

"That's really nice." I grinned at Hermione as we walked down the stairs to the common room.

"What about yours?" She asked as Ron and Harry left before us.

"I don't know... I think I had a dream about a gray stuffed animal with a eagle head. But instead of saying something like Mr. Birdy, or Big Bird, or something like that; I called it 'Hippo.' I shrugged to her.

"Really?" She tilted her head.

"Yeah, I haven't a clue if it was something random or if I used to have a childhood toy." I explained as we walked down the stairs, Ron pulling Harry away as fast as he can.

"Ronald is being rude." Hermione sniffed.

"WE MET AT MADAME MILKINS!" I shouted, snapping my fingers and pointing at her.

"What?!" Hermione yelped, jumping away from me in fright.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I couldn't remember where we met but now I do, we met at Madame Milken's Robe shop." I said excitedly.

"I knew that, did you really forget?" She asked as we walked into the great hall.

"It was a busy day." I admitted to her.

"It was wasn't?" She nodded as we walked down to the great hall for breakfast.

When we entered the hall, the plates were already full of different foods and the owls had started to drop off the morning mail.

"Cassie! You have two letters!" Harry waved my envelopes in the air for me to see.

"Ginny and Charlotte must've written back!" I skipped over to the boys.

"Who's Charlotte?" Hermione asked as we sat down.

"She's the woman who takes care of the orphanage I live in." I answered as she started to fill up our plates.

"I thought you lived in a foster house?" Harry asked, swallowing some orange juice.

"It's technically an orphanage, but sometimes we get foster kids and parents rotating around." I explained as I nodded my thanks to Hermione and opened the letter from Charlotte first.

_'Cassie,_

_It's so good to hear that you've integrated so well into Hogwarts! _

_You're friends with Harry Potter? My aren't you a lucky one. His mom was actually friends with yours! Karen and Lilly were inseparable during their time at the school. They both were in Gryffindor, remember? _

_By the way, this owl is beautiful!_

_Write back soon!_

_Charlotte _

_P.s. Sorry about the short response!'_

"I'm pretty sure it was Lily Evans' but I'm not positive, why?" He asked, finishing off his toast.

"I think our moms were best friends." I held out the letter for him to read.

"What?" He asked, grabbing the letter and reading it quickly.

"Really?" Hermione asked, reaching for the letter.

"Keep your grubbing hands off." Ron growled at her.

"Hermione, let Harry read it first, okay?" I put a hand on her shoulder, not wanting them to fight.

"Okay..." She nodded, going back to eating her food.

"All Charlotte said was they were inseparable here and that they were in Gryffindor. Does she know anything else?" Harry asked quietly, handing the letter back to me and looking at me with something in his eye.

"I don't know... I could ask her." I answered, handing the letter for Hermione to read.

"Please?" He asked, picking up his fork to eat his food.

"Sure." I nodded, opening up Ginny's letter.

_'Cassie! I'm so glad you remembered me! YOU'RE FRIENDS WITH **THE HARRY POTTER?!** You have no idea how lucky you are, is he cute? Is he as nice as everyone says he is? Is his scar actually the shape of a thunderbolt? I have so many questions for him!_

_For Christmas? You don't have to get me anything, what do you mean you'll be staying at Hogwarts? Won't you be going back to visit your family? I thought Charlotte was your aunt or something like that? The twins would probably just want something from Zonko's, that's a prank shop in Hogsmeade. Percy would probably want more ink bottles or some quills. He's really into his school work._

_Just give Ron some food, I'm sure that's all he gets anyway. Mum says that you're sweet for asking about everyone and what to give them for Christmas. _

_Write back soon!_

_Ginny.'_

"Looks like Harry has a fan." I smiled as I handed the letter to him to read.

Harry blushed at Ginny's hand writing and quickly handed me the letter back.

"Ron, what do you like?" I turned to him, putting my letters away in my bag.

"What do you mean?" He asked just as he was about to stuff his mouth with bacon.

"What are your hobbies?" I picked up my fork and started to eat some eggs.

"I play wizards chess mostly." He shrugged.

"What's wizards chess?" Harry and I both asked.

"Blimey, you don't know what wizards chess is?" He asked, swallowing his bacon half chewed.

"I know what chess is." I looked at Harry who nodded in agreement.

"I'll have to show it to you one of these days." Ron nodded to himself as he stuffed his face once again.

I giggled at his noises while Hermione scoffed in disgust.


End file.
